Beyond the obvious academic stress that September brings, heading back to school may literally be a pain in the neck for students. The burden of a heavy backpack can eventually lead to the more serious problems of chronic back pain and scoliosis.

Additionally, it is possible to have lifelong suffering from this kind of injury. Adults with severe back problems often had pain as kids.

Big and heavy bags can have a lasting physical impact on developing skeletal systems and posture. Some experts, recommend that backpacks weigh in at no more than a tenth of a child's body weight.

The most important thing for parents to know is that there are simple ways to prevent this permanent damage. It is important for them to remember this especially when they are shopping for back-to-school items necessary for their children and adolescents.

As a rule, kids should never carry a bag that weighs more than 10% of their body weight no matter what age the student has. Reducing backpack poundage will prevent any serious back pain in the future.

The bigger the bag, the more stuff kids will cram into it. Purchase a smaller backpack that will only fit the bare necessities. This will prevent kids from carrying around unnecessary stuff.