Students heft backpacks on and off their shoulders as part of their daily routine, but this routine can take its toll on students’ bodies.
“My neck on this side is so sore — just from carrying this bag,” said Hannah Schmitz as she pointed at her bulging black messenger bag on the seat next to her.
Schmitz, a University student, is an example of the balancing act many students face in hauling their items around campus with them.
University biomechanist Li-Shan Chou said “effects accumulate on the back.” Chou, who studies motion analysis, explained that humans balance their weight symmetrically. Once a student adds the weight of a backpack, this balance is thrown off and they must compensate by leaning forward.
“Find someone who can fit you in an internal frame pack and distribute the weight equally,” suggested Richard Troxel, a University sports medicine professor.
His advice is to take precautionary measures against injury. Students carrying backpacks to school can end up with chronic injuries if the gear they use is inadequate or not used properly. Troxel said excessive weight can affect “the shoulder and cervical spine area of the neck.”
To prevent injury, students should shop for the equipment that suits their needs. Sporting goods stores often have someone on staff who can educate buyers on different types of backpacks.
One such person, Joel Fischer, stood on a wooden floor at the Valley River McKenzie Outfitters, surrounded by fishing poles, tents and backpacks. He picked up a backpack from the rack and folded it in half. “It’s all foam inside,” he said.
Packs built with foam, such as the “book bag” Fischer held, are designed to cushion the load in the backpack but not to support weight. Fischer said frames or internal stays support weight and strengthen the backpack design. Other features that help to spread out the weight are straps and belts.
The quality of straps, stitching, fabric and function are all elements consumers should examine before deciding which backpack suits their needs. REI salesman Robert Woodson said book-carrying and rock-climbing are the two uses that wear out backpacks the fastest.
“Schoolbooks are hard, they weigh a ton and poke holes in [backpacks],” Woodson said.
An alternative to backpacks is the over-the-shoulder messenger or courier bag. The bags are waterproof, partly because of an interior plastic lining and double-shell design.
Though the over-the-shoulder courier bag style is popular, it may not be the best choice for everyday use because of the strain it puts on one side of the body.
Troxel said the biggest cause of bag-related injuries is wearing bags over only one shoulder. He recommended that students wear both shoulder straps to balance out the weight of the backpack and load a backpack by putting in the heaviest items first.
Detty Saluling said she likes her messenger bag, but “the sling is really short, and it is supposed to be tight against your chest. If you don’t use it correctly, it hurts.”
The $40 to $120 a student generally spends on a backpack will not make any difference if there is too much weight in it.
“If your backpack is heavy enough that you are straining to get it on, you need to review what you are carrying,” Troxel said.