Pack it light, wear it right.

That was the message to fourth- and fifth-grade pupils at Bel Air Elementary School on Wednesday during National School Backpack Awareness Day.

"When kids hit the fourth grade, their backpacks get heavier because books are getting larger and they need more materials," said Mariana D'Amico, an associate professor of occupational therapy at the Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences. "Then, each year after that through college, the backpacks tend to get heavier and cause more problems because they are also being worn improperly."

Using games and skits, second-year MCG occupational therapy students taught pupils how to properly pack and wear their backpacks, emphasizing the use of both straps and telling them to make sure their backpack is no more than 15 percent of their body weight.

Each pupil was also weighed with his or her backpack and then the pupil and backpack were weighed separately.

About 25 percent of the backpacks exceeded the recommended 15 percent of the pupil's body weight.

Carrying a backpack that's too heavy or worn improperly can cause shoulder, back and neck pain, Dr. D'Amico said.

"We always want to be careful with joints and muscles, but at their age we want to be even more careful because they are still developing," she said. "So parents and their children should be mindful of how the backpacks are being worn because if it's worn improperly or if it's too heavy it can cause some serious problems."

Pupils were also told to load the heaviest items at the back of a backpack, carry only the items they need, make sure their straps are padded and wear their backpacks closely against their backs.

Presentations were also made to pupils at Tobacco Road Elementary and Lamar Elementary this week.