Don't overload: A backpack should not weigh more than 10 percent of your child's body weight, Jacobs said. Put the bag on your bathroom scale to check the weight.

But Take Note: There’s no chest strap. ... Additionally, she tells parents their child’s backpack should fit snugly between their neck and the curve of their lower back using shoulder straps.

Using the backpack’s chest or abdomen strap Distributing the weight of the pack evenly Boyke-Lohmann urges kids to always ...

As families do their back-to-school shopping, one of the most important purchases they'll make is backpacks. Backpacks not only carry and protect homework, books, electronic devices and lunches ...

The Kane Backpacks don’t include a sternum strap to help balance the load and prevent shoulder straps from slipping off. But the company does sell chest straps separately ($18 at this writing ...

Just like any heavy load, backpacks can lead to some back pain, said Meier, a surgeon with Children’s Orthopaedics of Louisville, which is affiliated with Kosair Children’s Hospital.

Being loaded down with textbooks, gym equipment and school supplies can make backpacks heavy and hard to wear. If they're not worn properly, backpacks may cause back, neck and shoulder ...

Jenni’s 3½-year-old son, however, wore the Hydrajet 12 longer than any other backpack because its padded shoulder straps and articulated backing, paired with its chest strap, made it more ...