My children are all in elementary school. They seem to complain about shoulder, neck, and back pain more than normal for their age. What could be causing this?

There may be a connection between back pain in children and heavy backpacks. Researchers have shown that carrying backpacks can cause muscle fatigue over time. This may be the situation with your children.

To assess this problem, look for patterns in your family. Do your children complain more on any particular day of the week? Is the fatigue greater by the end of the week and better after the weekend?

Check the size and fit of each child’s backpack. The weight of the load should be evenly spread over the shoulders and around the waist. Make sure the backpack is carried over both shoulders at all times. Encourage children to avoid slinging the backpack over just one shoulder. Remove unnecessary items from the backpack to reduce the weight. If lightening the load does not improve the situation, have your doctor check your children for other problems.