The school summer holidays are almost done for another year (cue the sighs of relief!) and life can soon return to what it was before all chaos exploded for 6 weeks.
But are our children’s activities beyond the school gates putting their back health at risk? While we all know that overloaded and incorrectly carried back packs are a major risk of back pain, what about the time our children spend in the classroom? Could these prolonged periods of sitting (often with poor posture) be having a detrimental effect on our kids’ spines?
According to our chiropractor in Fareham, many school children adopt poor posture while sitting in the classroom or studying at home; and this poses a very real risk of leading to long-term back problems.
Here our experienced chiropractor shares effective tips on ensuring your children protect their spines during study time:
Keep a Level Head
Educate your children on the dangers of bending their heads down to read. Similar to “Text Neck”, regularly lowering the head to read can cause excessive strain on the neck.
Watch the Elbows
Your kids can reduce the risk of shoulder strain by ensuring that their elbows are rested on side rests or side arms as they type. This will help to take the weight of the arms off the shoulders.
Support the Lumbar Spine
Your children’s school should provide appropriate classroom chairs that include adequate support for the lumbar spine. You can also make sure your kids’ lower spines are supported when they study at home by investing in a good quality study chair.
H20
Keeping the body hydrated is an effective inflammation fighter so remind your children to stay hydrated during school hours by drinking plenty of water. Fizzy or sugary drinks may seem more appealing to your children but it’s the good old-fashioned clear stuff that their bodies need!
Promote Regular Breaks
You can help to keep your children’s spines healthy by encouraging them to walk around or take part in some form of physical activity during their lesson breaks. When studying at home, your children should take breaks away from their workstation/ computer around every 20 minutes. Make sure your children get up, stretch and walk around during their breaks – remaining at their desks playing computer games will have the same impact on their spines as if they were to study without a break!
You can have a significant impact on your children’s back health by educating them on these simple changes.
Our experienced team of chiropractors at Homewood are here to help and advise you on all aspects to do with your back pain.
For friendly advice or to book an appointment, contact us today on 01329 280 283 or email frontdesk@homewoodchiropractic.co.uk
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
