9/17/08: BU Sargent College Occupational Therapy Students Participate in the 2nd Annual Backpack Awareness Day at St. Mary’s School in Brookline

(Boston) – Boston University (BU) College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College announced today that it is partnering with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to conduct a backpack awareness day on Wednesday, September 17. This local, annual event helps to educate children, parents, school administrators, teachers, and the Boston community about the serious health problems associated with wearing a backpack improperly and is part of National Backpack Awareness Day, which is being held in schools and community centers across the country.

 WHAT: Over 200 students (Pre-K – grade 8) of St. Mary’s of the Assumption School in Brookline, Massachusetts will participate in a Backpack Awareness Day “Weigh-In” of their backpacks. The weigh-in hopes to educate the students, teachers and parents of the proper way to wear a backpack and to illustrate the amount of weight that school children are carrying on their backs. Carrying too much weight in a pack or wearing it the wrong way can lead to aching back and shoulders, weakened muscles, and stooped posture.

 WHERE: St. Mary of the Assumption School

            67 Harvard Street Brookline, Massachusetts

 WHEN: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 from 12:30 – 2:00pm EDT

 WHY: The start of a new academic year is a reminder that more than 40 million American school children will be wearing a backpack to and from school every day. The AOTA recommends that school backpacks weigh no more than 15% of a child’s weight. The proper way to pack a backpack to minimize long-term health problems is to load the heaviest items closest to the child’s back and to arrange the books and materials so they won’t slide around in the backpack. 

 The growing awareness of the issue over the last couple years has resulted in an increase in medical research, and more coverage of the issue in medical journals.

 WHO: Karen Jacobs, Ed.D, OTR/L, CPE, clinical professor of occupational therapy at BU Sargent College is the national spokesperson for the AOTA. In her sixth year participating in National School Backpack Awareness Day, Jacobs is an expert on school ergonomics and the healthy growth and development of school-age children. Jacobs will be coordinating the “weigh-in” activities at St. Mary’s school, along with the help of BU Sargent College occupational therapy students, and will be available to answer questions about the proper use of backpacks.