In most cases, school-age kids take four to eight classes per day. With no lockers to put it in, many of them are now having to carry four to eight classes' worth of stuff in their backpacks every time they use them.
Reagan Robertson carries her zipper binder, language arts notebooks, library books and iPad, among other things, in her bag with her all day. After a while, a heavy backpack is a real pain.
"The first couple classes it's okay, but then you actually get into the day and it's been on your back the whole day, it's really heavy," she said.
All in all, Reagan's bag weighed about 15 pounds, which is on the lighter side; some kids' backpacks can get close to 30 pounds, and even more if any extracurricular activities like sports or theatre come into the mix.
And a heavy backpack is not just a nuisance; it can also be a hazard.
"You know when you bend down and the bag goes over your head?" Reagan asked. "That almost flipped me over."
Dr. Angie Monthei-Meylor with Complete Wellness Chiropractic in Valley Junction recommends kids' backpacks not exceed 10% of their own body weight.
"If you have a 40-pound kindergartner like I do, that bag should only be four pounds," Monthei-Meylor said.
That isn't always possible, but she says to, at the very least, be sure the backpacks are being work properly (both straps on, snug against the back).
Monthei-Meylor also says to make sure the backpack is no more than four inches below the waistline.
Her best advice: lighten the load by only bringing what's absolutely necessary, and put the heaviest books toward the back of the backpack. And if you need a change of clothes, that goes in the front.