Backpacks are a common sight on college campuses. They transport students’ supplies from point A to point B. However, some students find themselves carrying the burden of their backpacks.
Physical Therapy Department Manager at Olin Health Center Adrian Woodside said about half of the patients that receive care in Olin’s physical therapy department have neck and back pain. For a large portion of them, issues stem from backpack use.
Media and information junior Emily Sigler is familiar with the problems caused by a heavy and misused backpack.
“I’ve had neck pain before, as well as right shoulder pain, because I tend to just wear (my backpack) on my right shoulder,” said Sigler.
Woodside said such muscular strain is caused by the body compensating for the backward weight of the backpack. Wearing both shoulder straps and using sternal and hip straps can help to minimize that effect.
It is recommended that backpacks weigh no more than 10–15 percent of an individual’s body weight, Woodside said. However, that is relative to the individual’s structure, physical fitness, and the backpack design, any of which may allow the individual to carry more weight without harm being done.
“I carry my backpack almost every day and for long hours a day, but I’ve found that I actually carry less than I did in high school in my backpack. So it hurts my back and neck less,” said theatre freshman Katelyn Hodge .
However, many students living off campus find it difficult to keep their bags light.
“Now that I live in an apartment ... it’s not worth it to come all the way back home to transfer books. So, I’m forced to carry everything all day and that definitely does take a toll,” said journalism and pre-med sophomore Sumaira Hai .
For her, convenience outweighs the 10–15 percent rule.
On a typical day, Hai said she carries two or three notebooks, a laptop, charger, 33-ounce water bottle, umbrella and a textbook or another book.
“I usually have my backpack with me all day every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” said Sigler, who wears it between five and 30 minutes every couple of hours depending on where she is going.
While MSU’s campus is large and many students live off campus, Woodside said it is a personal responsibility to decide what really needs to be carried on a daily basis.
Some symptoms from heavy damage include headaches, muscle tension, anterior shoulder pain, and numbness and tingling in the hands, said Woodside.
To avoid these symptoms and long-term issues related to backpack use, Woodside said there are a few key things you should look for in a bag.
The most important factor is comfort, Woodside said. Comfort characteristics include wide, padded shoulder straps, lateral straps to keep the bag’s contents from shifting, and sternal or hip straps to keep the bag in place.
Woodside also said heavier items should be packed closer to the body and the pack should be worn higher on the body.
Still, there are students who carry more than suggested and never experience problems.
Communications senior Alex Diaz said he has never had any back or neck pain despite carrying around a backpack that he estimates to weigh about 35 pounds.
“I carry everything,” Diaz said. “I don’t experience any real problems with it.”
