There are many important points to remember when selecting a backpack for you or for your child. Dr. Shelley Goodgold, associate professor of Physical Therapy at Simmons College in Boston, recommends looking for the following things to enhance safety and comfort:

• A padded back to reduce pressure in the back, shoulders, and under arm area;
• Hip, waist, and chest belts, to transfer some of the backpack weight from the back and shoulders to the hips and torso;
• Multiple compartments to better distribute the weight in the backpack, keep items secure, and ease access to the contents;
• Compression straps on the sides or bottom of the backpack to stabilize the articles and compress the contents so that the items are as close to the back as possible;
• Reflective material (if necessary) to enhance visibility of the child to drivers at night;
• Padded and contoured shoulder straps to reduce pressure on the shoulders.

Also important when choosing a pack is finding the appropriate size. The size of the backpack should match the size of the wearer and should be positioned correctly. Shoulder straps should fit comfortably on the shoulder and under the arms so arms can move freely. The bottom of the pack should rest in the contour of the lower back and the pack should “sit” evenly around the middle of the back. Dr. Goodgold also suggests looking for packs with ergonomically designed features. Our suggestion would be looking into purchasing an AirPack, a backpack tested and proven to lighten the strain of the objects inside the pack.