Wayland Chiropractor Holding Backpack Clinic

Backpacks are everywhere. On commuters, on hikers, on parents and, perhaps most prevalently, on schoolchildren.

“I see patients who get hurt with backpack injuries,” said Dr. Matthew Cooper, who runs a . "Parents who are patients ask questions about their kids’ backpacks."

All those questions led Cooper to the conclusion that people need help when it comes to backpack fit and safety, so on July 14, he's holding a free backpack clinic at his office.

“A backpack is something that should be custom fit,” Cooper said. He explained that weight and fit, along with an individual's build, should all be taken into consideration when it comes to safely wearing a backpack -- or a baby, for that matter.

Boston Babywearers will join REI at the Backpack Clinic to offer advice on fit and will be selling a variety of backpacks, carriers and wraps.

Cooper said the American Chiropractic Association recommends that people carry backpacks weighing no more than 10 percent of their body weight. While Cooper said he believes that guideline could be a bit strict, he does agree that most people wear backpacks that weigh considerably more than 10 percent of their body weight.

Adhering strictly to the 10 percent rule, an 80-pound child shouldn't carry more than 8 pounds -- the equivalent of a gallon of milk -- in their backpacks. 

"Everyone knows that a backpack that is too heavy causes problems," Cooper said, "but they don’t really understand the mechanics.”

Cooper explained that too-heavy backpacks don't necessarily cause acute injury; rather, they cause injury over a period of time. Backpacks that weigh too much cause the wearer to compensate by bending forward slightly, which puts stress on the lower back.

For Saturday's clinic, Cooper is inviting people to bring their backpacks as well as the items they typically carry in them. He will have some backpacks and various items on hand to weigh as examples of what various weights look like.

For each attendee, Cooper will conduct a spine assessment and provide that person with an individual tips for the type of backpack or babycarrier best suited for him/her. Representatives from REI and Boston Babywearers can then provide recommendations of specific backpacks or babycarriers and how best to pack them.

No reservations are necessary for the clinic, which will run from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, July 14.