It’s back to school time, but that shouldn’t mean it’s back to back pain for your little students.
According to our Fareham chiropractor, it is not uncommon for parents seek chiropractic care for their children for back and neck pain at Homewood Chiropractic Clinic. Unfortunately, in many instances overloaded, school bags can be a common cause of their problem. If you are parent with school age children don’t panic because we have some super simple tips that will keep your child’s spine healthy as they start the new school term.
Pack light
Carrying a heavy bag around all day can lead to problems in your child’s spine. According to our Fareham chiropractor, you should only pack what is essential for your child’s school day. School bags are getting increasingly heavier with children having to heavy textbooks and electronic gadgets such as laptops or tablets. This increase in weight, especially if not carried properly, can cause back, neck and shoulder pain as well as posture problems.
If your child packs their own bag, check the contents before they leave for school. If there is anything in there that doesn’t need to be in there, take it out. Finally, if your child’s backpack seems too heavy or uncomfortable for them to carry, remove some of the books and let them hold the items under their arms to reduce the load on their spine.
Choose a good rucksack
The type of bag your child uses can make all the difference to the health of their spine. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of your child developing back pain is ensuring they wear a bag or backpack that evenly distributes weight across the body. It’s crucial that your child wears their backpack properly to reduce the risk of developing injuries such as strains, sprains and posture problems. Before your child leaves for school make sure they use both shoulder straps an that the bag sits comfortably and evenly across their back. Adjusting the straps will assist with this. Roller bags can also be a sensible option.
Encourage Good Posture
Helping your child to achieve good posture will bring many benefits to their spine health. Why not take part in Straighten Up UK? This is a three-minute programme designed by the British Chiropractic Association to help adults and children improve their posture. The exercises in the programme are fun and easy and can be done by adults and children of all ages.
Reduce the risk of back pain
The following tips can further help to reduce the risk of backpack-related pain:
- Encourage your child to tell you if they experience any numbness or tingling in their arms or legs. These symptoms may indicate that they are carrying too much weight.
- Make sure you purchase a bag or backpack that is the right size for your child
- Watch your child put on and take off their backpack and look out for signs that they are struggling.
- Make sure your child bends at the knees when lifting their backpack
- Organise heavy items at the bottom centre of the backpack to help prevent injuries
The health of your child’s spine should always be a priority. Think about it, every cell in your child’s body is controlled by their central nervous system, and if their spine is unable to adequately support their central nervous system, they risk developing health problems.
According to our Fareham chiropractor, we all have an 80 percent chance of experiencing back pain at some point during our lives. The better we look after our spines, the less chance we have of developing chronic pain and other illnesses associated with unhealthy spines.
Things like purchasing a new backpack for your child may seem trivial, but these small things make big differences. The spine provides support for the whole body; it guards the nerves and allows the body to move. Knowledge is definitely power when it comes to your child’s spine health – the more you know about the spine, the more successful you will be in helping your child avoid spine-related pain and symptoms.
We hope this advice helps you to help your children. For more help and advice contact our Fareham chiropractors on 01329 280 283. We are always here for you.
Our Experience Counts: 55 Years in Fareham
Serving the people of Fareham, and surrounding areas of Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the local areas of Whiteley, Hedge End, Locks Heath & Portchester
