St. Mary's Rehabilitation Institute and the University of Southern Indiana are joining with the American Occupational Therapy Association to conduct a Backpack Awareness Day on Wednesday.

The goal is to educate children, parents, school administrators, teachers and communities about the serious health effects on children from backpacks that are too heavy or worn improperly.

This local event is part of the National School Backpack Awareness Day being held in schools and community centers across the country.

The American Occupational Therapy Association recommends that school backpacks make up only 15 percent of a child's weight.

The growing awareness of potential long-term problems to children has resulted in increased medical research and more coverage of the issue in mainstream publications, as well as medical journals.

A Backpack Awareness Day "Weigh-In" of fourth- and sixth-graders and their backpacks will take place at St. Theresa, St. Benedict, Holy Redeemer, St. Philip, Good Shepherd, St. John, St. Joseph, St. Wendel, Resurrection, Corpus Christi and St. Matthew schools.

— Tom Lovett

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/sep/11/no-headline---12a03backpacks-brf/