Courtney Savage is often asked if she carries rocks in her backpack.
“I’ve always been the girl with the backpack bigger than she is because I’m a small person, and my backpack huge,” she said.
Savage, a junior in communication, isn’t the only one. Students being overtaken by extra large backpacks are a common sight on college campuses across the country, including the U. Although most people know having a heavy backpack can be detrimental to physical health, many students don’t know the extent of the risk.
The typical college backpack holds a laptop, laptop charger, phone charger, granola bars and one to four textbooks. Savage uses a black High Sierra laptop backpack. On a typical school day she has her books, laptop, notebooks, pens and pencils, headphones, gum and sometimes a lightweight jacket. In a separate drawstring bag she carries her workout clothes and shoes.
“To be honest, I’ve kind of gotten used to having a heavy backpack because I’ve had one my whole life,” Savage said. “But I’ve always known that it’s too heavy.”
In 2012, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 28,000 people were treated for a backpack-related injury in the U.S. According to the report, it adds up to more than one billion dollars in emergency room medical expenses and the additional cost of lost wages and legal liability.
Judy Zhu, a senior in chemistry, said she noticed a common trend of heavy backpacks on campus and how it’s become more of a norm.
“If you think about it, textbooks are about 1,000 pages hardcover,” Zhu said. “The average student will take three to four classes that require books, and even if you don’t use them all in one day, that’s still a lot of weight.”
Zhu said her backpack, which she said weighs in around 50 pounds, is also too heavy.
“One time I put it on the passenger seat of my car and the seat belt light started flashing,” she said.
Savage said she thinks science majors carry more weight in their bags than humanities or business majors.
“When I was a pre-nursing major, I had just as many textbooks, but they were two to three times bigger and heavier than my books for communication,” Savage said. “Those were some dark days for my back, and I definitely remember always feeling the weight of my backpack and how uncomfortable it was.”
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, “backpacks that are too heavy or are worn incorrectly … may injure muscles and joints. This can lead to severe back, neck and shoulder pain, as well as posture problems.” The academy clarified heavy backpacks do not cause scoliosis but can be linked to other posture problems.
Marissa Record, a senior in biomedical engineering, said her backpack was heavier when she was taking prerequisites in her early engineering classes.
“I used to get back aches and shoulder pains when I would pick it up, but I haven’t noticed long-term effects,” she said.
However, Record said she feels the problem doesn’t exist strictly in one major.
“Every major is different, so there are different requirements,” Record said. “In fine arts you see people carrying giant art boards, which is probably cumbersome. Science majors have a lot of textbooks — we have to read, but so do English majors.”
According to a chart from U Health Care, a person’s backpack should not exceed 15 to 20 percent of their body weight. Students are advised to choose a bag with two wide, padded straps and to utilize both straps in order to evenly distribute the weight. For content of the bag, it’s recommended to keep the heaviest items nearest to the body and to the bottom of the bag. Students are encouraged to stay organized, pack light and choose a bag with compartments for organization. Backpacks with chest or hip straps will help reduce the pressure on the spine and shoulders.
Individuals are also strongly advised to seek immediate medical attention if they experience reoccurring pains of any type.
Kim Rodriguez, sophomore in strategic communication, has made significant changes to avoid carrying a heavy backpack. Rodriguez keeps a strict calendar to prioritize her work and guarantee she never has to carry more than she has to on campus.
“I’ve made a lot of changes since my freshman year,” Rodriguez said. “I do my homework a lot earlier so I don’t have to lug around my books, and I also make sure if it’s too heavy I have to prioritize which book I want to take down to lower campus. I never carry my laptop. I carried it once or twice, and it was terrible.”
Savage said she also tries to prioritize, lightening her load by sharing textbooks in class and using a tablet instead of her laptop. She said making these changes have helped to make her backpack lighter, but she finds the things she carries with her are necessities. She worries this might impact her in the future.
“Sometimes I think about how when I’m older, I’m going to have serious back problems — I actually already do,” Savage said. “But I like to be prepared for class, and that usually means bringing every possible thing that I could need.”
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