OLYMPIA, Wash. — Backpacks weigh heavily on the mind of Matt Macy, 12, a seventh-grader at Nisqually Middle School.

Matt, who carries a bag for sports, plays drums in band and carries his regular backpack, occasionally has to rest on his way to his bus stop.

"All along the main bag, there's stitches, there's duct tape," he said, describing the repairs to his main backpack, which his mother, Debbie, has replaced once and repaired.

Her daughter Marissa, 15, a sophomore at River Ridge High School, also faces a heavy day. The school was designed with no lockers, and students have to carry their belongings all day.

"I have textbooks for all of my classes pretty much. I have an AP class, and that's a heavy-duty textbook. I have math, and we have to carry around a huge binder for that," she said.

"It's almost like you're being punished for having a big academic load," Debbie Macy said.

The Macy family recently asked the North Thurston, Wash., school district to consider what can be done for students weighed down by textbooks.

NATIONAL CONCERN

Heavy backpacks have been a large enough issue that other states have tried to lighten the load.

In July, California's law regarding the maximum weights of textbooks went into effect. Books should be no heavier than 5 pounds in high school; 4 pounds in middle school; and 3 pounds in elementary school, according to that state's Department of Education.

Children's health was the main reason behind the change, the department reported.

A study by the American Physical Therapy Association said that bad postural changes, including leaning forward, started to occur when the backpacks were 10 percent to 15 percent of the child's body weight. That means that for a child who weighs 80 pounds, slouching started when the backpacks weighed 8 to 12 pounds.

The National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes safe practices, cited a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report that there were more than 21,000 backpack-related injuries treated at hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices and clinics in 2003.

However, there has been no proof that backpacks cause permanent injuries, according to an article published by Children's Hospital Boston.

The North Thurston district reviewed the Macys' request. District spokeswoman Courtney Schrieve said that the middle schools have enough books to allow teachers to keep a set in the class for students, and students can keep a set at home. This has been the practice for several years, ever since the middle schools stopped using the regular lockers.

Having a school set and a home set of books has been the practice at the middle schools for several years, since the schools stopped using their lockers for safety reasons and because they cut into instructional time, she said.

"Students spent a lot of time getting books out of their lockers or just hanging out at their lockers," she said. North Thurston middle school students in sports have lockers available to them, and the district offers instrument rental, so band members don't have to lug their equipment to and from school.

"Parents might not be aware of these options," she said. Parents should speak to their principal if it appears that their child is carrying too much, she said.

Marissa Macy said she and her friends hope that could happen soon.

"I have a friend who lives close by, and during lunch he'll go home and swap backpacks," she said. "It's really hard; I want to be in the classes that push me to do better. Except I know the workload is very heavy. It's hard to decide what I should do."

TIPS TO EASE THE LOAD

• Keep the pack at 10 percent to 15 percent or less of the child's body weight. That means 8 to 12 pounds for an 80-pound child.

• Carry only items that are required for that day.

• Organize the contents of the backpack by placing the heaviest items closest to the back.

• Wear both straps, which distributes the weight across the back. Using only one strap causes one side of the body to bear the majority of the weight of the backpack.

• Put on and remove backpacks carefully and avoid excessive twisting.

• The backpack should not be worn too low on the back, and the straps should not be so tight that the child can't use his or her arms.

• When selecting a new backpack, choose ergonomic features such as a padded back and wide, padded straps, hip and chest belts, and multiple compartments.

• Backpacks with wheels might be a good option for elementary school students, but older students find traditional backpacks and bags to be more convenient for passing between classes.

• Encourage children to talk about back pain or discomfort.

• Consider buying a second set of textbooks if the school doesn't already provide it.

• Reflective materials on the backpack, which make the child more visible on dark sidewalks and roads, don't affect the weight, but backpack visibility also is an important safety issue.

Sources: The American Physical Therapy Association, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons