The Attack Of The Killer Backpack! - Family and Parenting - Zimbio

Summer is almost over and our local Wal-mart is handing out lists of school supplies. Parents are wandering through the “seasonal” aisles watching their pennies and longing for the big day to come, so this is the perfect time to write about this. I’ve had chronic back and neck pain since I was a teenager which became disabling when I was in my thirties. Two botched back surgeries later, I’m no better off and feel every little thing from the vibration of the sidewalk to bad chairs and car seats. I’m also painfully aware that back injuries can take many years to manifest as chronic pain and serious conditions. By then, extreme measures are sometimes necessary. My children are grown and I graduated college 12 years ago, so I haven’t paid much attention to backpacks lately. I do remember the strain mine put on my back, neck and shoulders and feeling like a bit of a dork for carrying mine on my back instead of on one shoulder like all the rest of the college students. These days, even a too large or too heavy purse can cause the same pain.