Log InCreate an Account Use of one strap causes one side of the body to bear the weight of the backpack. By wearing two shoulder straps, the weight of the backpack is better distributed. Wear the backpack over the strongest mid-back muscles Pay close attention to the way the backpack is positioned on the back. It should rest evenly in the middle of the back. Shoulder straps should be adjusted to allow the child to put on and take off the backpack without difficulty and allow free movement of the arms. Straps should not be too loose, and the backpack should not extend below the low back. Keep the load at 10-15% or less of the child's bodyweight. Carry only those items that are required for the day. Organize the contents of the backpack by placing the heaviest items closest to the back. Some students have two sets of books so as not to have to carry the heavy books to and from school. How a Physical Therapist Can Help A physical therapist can help you choose a proper backpack and fit it specifically to your child.

Children come in all shapes and sizes, and some have physical limitations that require special adaptations. Additionally, a physical therapist can help improve posture problems, correct muscle imbalances, and treat pain that can result from improper backpack use. Physical therapists can also design individualized fitness programs to help children get strong and stay strong—and carry their own loads! End the Opioid Epidemic Learn about safe ways to manage pain. Search our national database of physical therapists.Written by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) APTA’s vision statement is “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” It is both ours and our members’ goal to help consumers make wise choices with their health care and assist people of all ages improve and maintain mobility and remain active and fit throughout life. We take that mission seriously and through a variety of multifaceted, consumer-oriented campaigns, on a number of subjects, we get the word out.

Pediatric back pain, for example, is just one issue on which we’ve focused. As children head back to school and ease back into the daily routine of learning, stuffing their bags each day with heaps of heavy books, it is important to remember the impact the weight of all those books can have on young child’s back. The added pounds can lead to serious issues and back pain. Last week was National School Backpack Awareness Day, and each fall APTA launches a campaign, using a mix of social and traditional media to get the word out about backpack safety. Launching Consumer Campaigns at APTA When we launch any consumer event we take a multifaceted approach using both social and traditional media. We incorporate all of our social media properties (Facebook, YouTube, BlogTalkRadio, Twitter, and Pinterest) to extend our reach as far as possible. Whilst our web team is busy coordinating that effort our media relations folks are busy composing talking points, press releases, and other content, and then personally reaching out to targeted media.

consumer site and related YouTube channel. When APTA creates a consumer campaign, we often seek to partner with key bloggers or organizations that cater to the target audience for that particular campaign. laptop backpack for dell m6800For example, when working on a campaign such as pediatric back pain we would look to partner with prominent “mommy bloggers” who have large followings of mothers. backpack tech n9neThis allows us to access their numerous followers and extends the reach of our message exponentially.kbs backpack simple We couldn’t do it alone! gopro wlan backpackWith each campaign we seek to harness the power of our 88,000+ members.

They are always a part of communications plan and we actively engage and encourage them to join us in the campaign. We provide sample tweets and Facebook posts to make it easy for them to participate. These activities not only build recognition, but also have raised our profile by positioning us as a valuable resource both for consumers and the media. , The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Consumer Reports, to name just a few. Click here to see our many resources on backpack safety and a variety of other subjects. How do you reach out to your communities to promote physical activity? How can we better engage families in their health? Let us know in the comments.Learn about the benefits of belonging to APTA.Dr. Wilmarth is the CEO of Back2Back Physical Therapy, which first started as Wilmarth Physical Therapy and has been running since 1999. From 2009-2015 Dr. Wilmarth was Chief of Physical Therapy at Harvard University. Previously, she was the Director of the DPT Program from 2005-2010 and Assistant Dean for the College of Professional Studies with Northeastern University.

Prior to that Dr. Wilmarth taught the PT Project classes for the entry-level physical therapy program with the Bouve College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University. Dr. Wilmarth first started as a member of the faculty at Northeastern University in 1996 teaching the Musculoskeletal Evaluation and Treatment classes and labs. She did this for many years before becoming more involved with the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association as the Editor for their Independent Study Courses, which she did from 2001-2007. Dr. Wilmarth has also worked on the west coast and in England and consults throughout the world. Dr. Wilmarth is a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. In addition, she has her certification in Manual Therapy from the University of St. Augustine and in Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment from the McKenzie Institute. She received her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Duke University and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

In addition, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and art from Middlebury College. Dr. Wilmarth remains active clinically at Harvard and with her own practice, Back2Back Physical Therapy (previously Wilmarth PT), specializing in Orthopaedics, Manual Therapy and Sports Medicine. Prior to returning to New England Dr. Wilmarth was Co-Owner of Shoreline PT in California. She enjoys working with athletes varying from young children to professional athletes. Her other areas of specialization include neck and back pain, temporomandibular disorder, RSI, ergonomics, and orthotics. Her work with posture and spinal stabilization has led her to be a national spokesperson for the APTA on Backpack Awareness as well as the consultant for Lands’ End. She is also an APTA Media Corps member and her work can be seen in print, online, and on television. Dr. Wilmarth has done presentations throughout the world on various topics in her areas of expertise. In addition, Dr. Wilmarth has numerous articles and chapters in different journals and publications ranging from The Journal of Physical Therapy to Forbes.