posted by Helaine Ciporen, 8/15/11

As families prepare for heading back to school, choosing physical activities to participate in should be high on the "healthy to-do" list. But unlike sports or working out, there my be other physical strains associated with going back to school that are unhealthy.

Backpacks weighed down with piles of heavy textbooks may also be causing poor posture and back pain in children. Healthier backpacks for children could be the answer. Because of the strain on the lower back, the body pulls the shoulders forward to keep itself upright, causing bad posture, said Dr. Joseph Herrera, director of sports medicine in the Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. "Kids are really resilient," said Herrera, "and the body has a tendency to heal itself." The longer the problem goes on, though, the harder it is to reverse. Kids should be aware of how much they carry and always wear a backpack in the proper way, using both straps.