Most students are excited to get a new backpack before school starts, but remember to teach them that what goes in it is just as important as how it looks.

The American Occupational Therapy Association has the following tips for correctly using a backpack and avoiding back or neck pain:

1 Never let a child carry more than 15 percent of his body weight in a backpack.

2 Load heaviest items closest to the child’s back (the back of the pack).

3 Choose the right size pack for your child’s back as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.

4 Check what your child carries to school and brings home. Make sure the items are necessary to the day’s activities.

5 On days the backpack is too loaded, your child can hand carry books or other items.

6 If the backpack is too heavy, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child’s school allows it.

7 Always wear both shoulder straps. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort.

8 Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps. Shoulders and necks have many blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms and hands when too much pressure is applied.

9 Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly to the child’s back. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles.

10 Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one. This helps distribute the pack’s weight more evenly.