The start of the new school year is only about two weeks’ away and a local chiropractor is reminding parents to consider backpacks and the impact they have on young, developing backs.

Randy Follett of Lakeview Chiropractic says kids may want a backpack with their favourite characters or colours, but he says parents really need to look at how they’re made and the support they provide.

He says backpacks need to be proportionate to a child’s body size, and not larger than what’s needed.

“The top of the backpack should not go higher than the top of the child’s shoulders, and the bottom of it should not be below the waist.”

He says weight is also a consideration, with lightweight materials preferable to leather or heavy fabrics.

“The shoulder straps are really important” says Follett “they should be…at least 2 inches wide, they should be adjustable, and the shoulder straps should ideally be padded.”