Children are back for a new school year soon and Bolton Spinal Health is encouraging parents across Greater Manchester to check their children’s posture, as well as the design and contents of their school bag to help prevent school children suffering from back and neck pain.
When it’s time to get the kids ready to go back to school after the summer holidays, it’s often a race against the clock to get school uniforms, stationery, and books ready on time. But now is also the perfect opportunity to check whether your child’s back will be protected during another jam-packed academic year.
We regularly see school children complaining of back or neck pain. Children today can easily overfill their bags with things like mobile phones and tablets to add in. They throw the bag over one shoulder while slouching and this can lead to trouble for backs. A quick check of their bags and posture can help children to avoid painful back problems in the future.
Tips for protecting your child’s back:
Best practice backpacks
We know that backpacks are a great way for schoolchildren to carry their books and stationary but the design of the bag and, critically, how your child carries a bag can make a big difference to preventing back pain.
Look out for bags which can be carried on both shoulders, with adjustable straps which will hold the contents close to their back and distribute weight evenly. If your child insists on carrying a bag with one strap, encourage them to alternate which shoulder they carry it on and to carry it across their body if possible.
What’s in the bag
Try spending just a few minutes every evening helping your child pack their school bag. Use this time to ensure that your child is not packing unnecessary items for their day’s activities and to ensure that any weight is equally distributed in their school bag to reduce pressure on their back and neck. Top tip is to ensure that the heavier items are at the top not the bottom of the bag otherwise the rucksack can pull shoulders backwards creating discomfort and more imbalance.
STRETCH IT OUT!
Stretching is always important for your spine’s health, but especially if the summer holiday was a little bit less active than usual. Although kids are generally more flexible than adults, be sure that your child knows some stretches before heading back to school. Before engaging in any strenuous activity, your child should warm up and stretch 10-15 minutes and include a cool down after a workout. This will help prevent injury to muscles that might not have been used in some time.
Back to school also means a lot of time back in a seat. Some teachers are opposed to children leaving their seat, so some seated stretches are a great tool to teach your child. Teach them about correct posture while seated, which means books/tablets held at eye level, feet flat on the floor, and their back up against the back of their seat. With correct posture, your child will greatly reduce their chance of suffering from back, neck, and shoulder pain.
CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS
A healthy nervous system will have your body communicating and operating as it should, including the immune system. Heading back to school means exposure to many bugs and viruses, so it’s especially important that your child’s immune system is functioning at its best. With regular chiropractic care, your child’s nervous system will be operating at 100%, keeping your child living life to the full, healthy and happy.
Please contact us for more information about your children’s health and wellness. Contact us via the form below.