DENVER - It is back to school time, and if your child suddenly starts complaining about back pain, doctors say it could be the weight in their backpacks.
As a freshman at Cherry Creek High School, Jess Greenwald carries a lot of books because she says she doesn't have time to go to her locker in between classes. She is already experiencing some shoulder pain.
"It's really, really heavy," she said.
With just three of her text books in tow, her backpack weighs almost 26 pounds, and that's 27 percent of her body weight.
Doctors at Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics say kids should not carry more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight.
Dr. Joe Craig said he hears a lot of students complaining about pain. He tells kids to do what they can to lighten their load. Put the heaviest books closest to their back. Get a backpack with wide straps and always use both straps. Rolling backpacks are also an option, although many kids don't like the idea.
As a freshman at Cherry Creek High School, Jess Greenwald carries a lot of books because she says she doesn't have time to go to her locker in between classes. She is already experiencing some shoulder pain.
"It's really, really heavy," she said.
With just three of her text books in tow, her backpack weighs almost 26 pounds, and that's 27 percent of her body weight.
Doctors at Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics say kids should not carry more than 10 to 20 percent of their body weight.
Dr. Joe Craig said he hears a lot of students complaining about pain. He tells kids to do what they can to lighten their load. Put the heaviest books closest to their back. Get a backpack with wide straps and always use both straps. Rolling backpacks are also an option, although many kids don't like the idea.
