(BPT) - Your child's backpack shouldn't feel like a punishment. Yet for countless students across America, that daily trudge to school has become a literal pain in the back - and neck, and shoulders. What starts as minor discomfort can quickly escalate into serious musculoskeletal problems that interfere with learning, sports, and daily activities.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is stepping in with guidance to help parents and caregivers transform their child's backpack from a source of pain into a tool that supports healthy posture and bone and joint development.

"Families everywhere take backpacks for granted as everyday gear needed for school, but they don't often understand the burden they can place on the body and posture when they're used incorrectly," said pediatric orthopaedic surgeon Reid Boyce Nichols, MD, FAAOS. "A few simple steps can give you confidence that your child will be able to get through their school day without the pain or discomfort that incorrect use can cause."

Here are tips to guide you and your kids when shopping for and using backpacks.

Shop with comfort in mind

The best-designed backpacks are effective at distributing weight so the body's strongest muscles can carry it safely, without undue stress or strain. While kids may be focused on backpack colors and styles when shopping, parents and caregivers should consider:

• Size: Is the backpack's size appropriate for your child? If it looks too big, see if you can find a smaller one. Does it feel light when you pick it up?
• Support: Well-designed backpacks should have two wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
• Extra features for heavy loads: This includes a waist strap, as well as wheels - a rolling backpack can make it much easier to handle heavy loads when needed.

Practice injury prevention

Whether it's your child's first year of school or their last, it's never too late to start using best practices for health and safety.

"Teens and older students often resist advice about 'how to wear a backpack,' but the reality is they're dealing with heavier course loads and fewer places to store supplies throughout the day," said Dr. Nichols. "Once they understand that a few adjustments can prevent the nagging pain that interferes with everything from sitting in class to playing sports, most are willing to make the changes." To help prevent injury, recommend and demonstrate the following practices:

• Use both shoulder straps whenever you're carrying a backpack, rather than carrying it on one shoulder.
• Tighten the straps to keep the backpack's load closer to the back.
• Organize items strategically with heavier items low and toward the center of the backpack.
• Pack light, removing items if they're too heavy. Carry items only required for each day, and -
• Leave unnecessary books at home or school
• Choose a smaller water bottle
• Bring sports gear in a separate bag that can be stored in a locker
• Lift properly by bending at the knees when picking up a backpack.

Especially if a child has had previous discomfort using a backpack, consider using a cross-body bag as an alternative for carrying books and supplies.

Be proactive to prevent injury

When you're getting ready for back-to-school season, watch your child put on and take off their fully loaded backpack to see if it's a struggle. If the backpack seems too heavy, see if your child can remove any books and carry them in their arms to ease the load. Work with them to review the distribution of weight in their backpack, placing heavier items low and toward the center of the backpack. Beyond choosing a different backpack and practicing how to pack and wear it correctly, it may also be possible for your child to stop at their locker as time permits throughout the day to drop off or exchange heavier books.

Finally, make sure to pay attention to any signs of back pain in your child or teenager.

"Encourage your child or teen to tell you about back, neck, or shoulder pain they may be feeling during or after carrying their backpack," added Dr. Nichols. "The presence of symptoms may indicate a poor backpack fit, or too much weight being carried."

Learn more about backpack safety and back pain in children at OrthoInfo.org.