Back to School? Limit Your Load

Although we can’t take any load off you from school work; we can offer suggestions so that your school work is not causing you pain….in the back and shoulders. First, it is a good idea to always use both shoulder straps when carrying your back pack. This not only distributes the weight evenly, it takes pressure off one side to attempt to center it over your base of support. Secondly, it is important when lifting your bag to lift it close to you and not swing it around to grab it over your shoulders. A better approach is to lift your bag with both arms up to a table, waist high, then turn and place your arms under each strap. Keep the bag close when placing it in the car too; step close to the vehicle then set your bag down instead of reaching it away from you and into the car. Lastly, this may be easier said then done, but multiple trips with a lighter load will be a lot better for your back then to carry your full load of books, throughout the day, to only make one trip. It may also be helpful to clean that bag out routinely to make certain you are not hauling around extra weight unnecessarily. A lighter load will apply less strain on your posture and allow you to maintain more upright rather than hunched over while centering this weight. Making these simple changes will help limit stress on your back and shoulders as well as taking pressure off the nerves of your arms.