We may mock the rolling backpack and condemn it as nerdy, but by lugging around your backpack all day on your shoulder instead of rolling your books in true 7th Grader style, you put yourself at risk of developing chronic backaches and muscle pains as well as poor posture. Besides, do you really want your mom to keep nagging you to sit up straight?
Doctor and physical therapists recommend that students carry no more than 10% to 15% of their body weight in their backpacks. Many Marlborough girls’ backpacks certainly come close to that range, especially for those of us in AP English who are forced to transport the 3000-page monstrosity known as the Norton Anthology of English Literature.
Since studies suggest that carrying ridiculous loads may have a negative impact on our physical health, perhaps we should reconsider the virtues of the pack on wheels.
