Backpack-lifting… a new Olympic feat?

All things considered, lifting a backpack could be an Olympic sport! After all, the average weight of a backpack is 5.5 kg and you lift one about 10 times a day throughout the school year (180 days). That means you lift about 9,818 kg per year, or the equivalent of about 6 cars! No small feat!

And like any good athlete, you run the risk of injuring yourself. A study conducted in the U.S. revealed that more than 3 out of 4 injuries caused by backpacks occur when tripping over a backpack lying on the ground or when accidentally hit by another person carrying one. Here are some tips and advice on using a backpack safely for you and for those around you!

• Choose a backpack with shoulder straps that are at least 10 cm wide, and are adjustable and padded.
• Always use both shoulder straps as well as the waist strap, if necessary, when carrying your backpack.
• Opt for a backpack that has lots of different-sized pockets: the contents (and weight!) of the backpack will be evenly distributed on your shoulders and will not move from side to side.
• Go to your locker a number of times during the day to avoid lugging around the books you don't really need.
• Look around you before taking off your backpack to avoid hitting someone!
• Bend your knees when you pick up your school bag or put it down on the ground.

For little booboos, there are bandages. For the big ones, there's Accirance!

Even if you follow all the safety precautions, an accident can happen in the blink of an eye! Before you decide to let go and cut loose, you have to make sure that if you ever have an accident, your parents can continue to provide for all of your needs.

Accirance is an insurance that helps you (or your parents) pay for accident-related expenses like ambulance fees, wheelchair rental and re-adaptation of your home. If you are still in school and under 25 years of age, Accirance pays for the cost of private courses and school transportation. It also pays for retraining, so you can re-orient your career if you become totally disabled because of the accident…

Source: Smartrisk.ca, NSC.org and Desjardins Financial Security