Gone are the days when perfect posture was the norm. Posture seems to have taken a downturn since students began overloading their book bags and sitting at computers for long periods of time.

Brad Bruhl, chiropractor at Bruhl Chiropractic Office, 501 Main St., said he sees a few college and high school students for back pain related to heavy backpacks, with most problems relating to the upper back.

“If the bag is too heavy, it causes the neck to lean forward and causes neck pain,” Bruhl said.

Bruhl said back pain in young people is generally caused by bags that are too heavy, the wrong types of bags, and poor posture.

“If you’re hunched over, you don’t fully expand your chest,” Bruhl said.

One effect of this, Bruhl said, is becoming tired more quickly.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found people who experienced lower back pain experienced psychological distress, fair or poor health and were limited in activities because of chronic conditions, compared to those who didn’t have lower back pain.

“People who are experiencing pain have more of a tendency to be depressed – less happy due to pain,” Bruhl said.

Bruhl has noticed computer use is causing upper back and neck issues such as tension and poor posture, possibly leading to headaches, among other things.

Bruhl suggests taking frequent breaks every 20 minutes while on the computer to stretch your legs and help prevent the neck from tightening up.

Bruhl recommends if you have a desktop computer to have the monitor positioned at eye level.

For laptops, Bruhl said placing a pillow beneath it can help bring the computer to your eye level, so your neck isn’t craning down.

Brent Bowser, physical therapist assistant for the athletic department, described the perfect posture for sitting at a computer.

“Your ear lines up with shoulders, and shoulder lined up with hips – in complete alignment, have feet flat on ground and screen at eye level,” Bowser said.

Bowser also discussed the most back-healthy sleep posture for those students who sleep on their side.

“[Having a] pillow on eye and another pillow between knees keeps the spine in ‘neutral’ position alignment,” he said.

When standing for long periods of time, Bowser recommends shifting weight from foot to foot every five minutes.

Max Cochran, sophomore in history, said he attributes his lack of back pain to his exercise routine.

“If it’s really bothering you, you probably aren’t in that good of shape, more or less,” Cochran said.

Cochran is also careful not to overstuff his backpack.

“I usually try to keep [my backpack] pretty light,” Cochran said. “I only carry what’s necessary.”

Bowser said proper posture “makes your breathing better, [and you will feel] less pain and function better overall.”

“Posture is key because it makes you very efficient,” Bowser said.

The American Chiropractic Association’s Web site offers tips for children to avoid back stress from backpacks that older students can use too.

It suggests wearing both shoulder straps since using just one strap can make the weight uneven, contributing to pain in the lower back. Padded straps can offer more comfort.

The contents of your backpack should ideally not be more than 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight, and your backpack shouldn’t hang down lower than 4 inches beneath your waistline.