As January rears to the end and we enter February it’s time for the rush of getting the kids back to school. We understand as chiropractors the importance of healthy backs for kids.
It is a fact that one in three kids experience back pain at one time.
Lots of spinal problems with children besides natural conditions formed by birth are due to badly fitted and overweight schoolbags, poor posture and injuries obtained from playing and sport.
How to support healthy backs for kids-
- Posture
Posture is crucial for assisting with healthy backs for kids. One way to do this is ensuring that your child has an ergonomically designed desk and seat whilst they study.
It’s important to make sure that there is no twisting in your child’s back and they are sitting straight and upright. No lying on their tummies or side on the floor to do study, and that when sitting on a chair their feet can touch the ground.
Another issue that can lead to poor posture and needs to be monitored is device use.
Have you heard of the condition ‘text neck’? It’s a common problem that is experienced by young and old due to extensive use of mobiles and technological devices. It’s due to poor posture whilst using these devices. Poor posture has the ability to lead to increased pressure on the spine. The tension that this creates can lead to headaches, tension, back pain, soreness and fatigue.
It’s important when using these devices that they are held correctly, with no forward head carriage. To find out more read our article.
2. School Bags
10-19% of Children miss sports activities/school as a result of overweight bags. It’s important that school bags have wide straps that sit evenly on shoulders. We also recommend waist strap bags too. This helps the weight stay close to the body and doesn’t detriment posture.
The weight of the school bag should only be 10% worth of their body weight. Heavy items should be placed at the very bottom of the bag, closest to the spine. Please don’t hesitate to talk to your Chiropractor about this or read our article.
3. Playing safe
One of our last steps is about playing safely. We all know that regular exercise is very important, especially at a young age where it helps us learn skills, stay fit and learn team work. However, it is very important that we look after ourselves when doing so. Small bumps and tumbles from sport don’t seem like a big issue at first. However, if left monitored these can have an effect later on.
We recommend some light stretching and warming up prior to exercise. If any injuries occur monitor them and seek medical attention such as from your Chiropractor if they persist.
If you need to know anything more please don’t hesitate to contact us.
