Back to School Pain Prevention and Tips for a Healthier Year
It's that time of year: back to school. With that comes new backpacks, new school supplies, new teachers, new classes, sports, new routines, and stress. Below are some tips on preventing headaches, neck, and back pain in your kiddos, along with a few other ways to keep them healthy and help them get the most out of their new school year!
Backpacks:
-Ideally, should weigh <15% of your child's body weight when full
-Double strap (wear both shoulder straps) for even weight distribution
-Tighten straps so bottom of backpack rests at hip-level (sagging backpack increases stress on lower back)
-Look for a backpack with abdominal strap (additional support and weight distribution)
-Padded straps and back adds comfort to backpack
Wearing a backpack incorrectly can cause postural alterations and lead to immediate or future back, neck, and shoulder pain, numbness or tingling in the hands or arms.
Learning in class and studying at home:
Posture is the key player here. It's difficult to alter your child's desk, chair, or posture while at school, but practicing good habits at home can help prevent pain and dysfunction. For posture related tips and exercises, check out some of the other blog posts: Sitting is the New Smoking, Mouse Trap, and Back to Basics to Prevent Back Pain.
Headaches:
If your child complains of headaches, listen to them. It is likely that your child's headache is caused by his or her posture, tight muscles, or a misalignment in the neck. These are called cervicogenic, or tension-type headaches. Read more here. However, other things like food sensitivities or difficulty with eye sight can also lead to headaches. A chiropractor can help determine the source of your child's headaches and how to treat them.
Nutrition:
I know everyone already knows, but nutrition is extremely important for your child's health. Food helps our kids' brains develop, helps their bodies grow, helps prevent illness, facilitates learning, improves sleep, and supplies enough energy for all of their extra-curricular activities. For more on the U.S. child nutrition guidelines, read here or here. If you have a specific concern about your child's diet, schedule a meeting with your child's chiropractor, naturopathic doctor, or nutrition specialist. Nutrition is medicine.
Exercise:
Kids need a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day. This has become harder to achieve as the demands at school have gotten greater. Exercise and movement are a necessity of life. Exercise improves brain function and learning, combats illness, releases anti-depressant chemicals, improves sleep, decreases pain, improves mood, and helps decrease all of the co-morbidities associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Find activities that your kids enjoy (bonus if the entire family can join in). Exercise is essential. Exercise is medicine.
Sports and Athletics:
Sports are everything to some kids. They train all year and don't stop. It's good to keep them active, especially with something they enjoy, but over-training or early specialization in one sport often leads to totally preventable injuries. When your kid complains about pain, don't ignore it or tell them to "shake it off". Have a professional evaluate them. Athletic trainers, MDs, and chiropractors should all be able to evaluate an injury and determine if further evaluation or treatment needs to be rendered. With the proper training, many sports injuries can be preventable. Keep in mind that proper nutrition and hydration (don't forget about that H2O!) are important for athletic performance too!
We love seeing happy and healthy families. Should you have any questions, we are always happy to answer them during a complimentary consultation. Click here to schedule or call 913-268-8300.
We all perform better when we are happy, healthy, and motivated. We believe education is the key to making the shift to a healthier lifestyle, and that's why we offer free health education workshops to businesses and community organizations through our Community Outreach Program. Our objective is simple: to educate and promote healthy lifestyle choices and the positive effects they have. Email drcoleman@mswickard.com to learn more or to set up an event. Best of all, the program is FREE!
Backpacks:
-Ideally, should weigh <15% of your child's body weight when full
-Double strap (wear both shoulder straps) for even weight distribution
-Tighten straps so bottom of backpack rests at hip-level (sagging backpack increases stress on lower back)
-Look for a backpack with abdominal strap (additional support and weight distribution)
-Padded straps and back adds comfort to backpack
Wearing a backpack incorrectly can cause postural alterations and lead to immediate or future back, neck, and shoulder pain, numbness or tingling in the hands or arms.
Learning in class and studying at home:
Posture is the key player here. It's difficult to alter your child's desk, chair, or posture while at school, but practicing good habits at home can help prevent pain and dysfunction. For posture related tips and exercises, check out some of the other blog posts: Sitting is the New Smoking, Mouse Trap, and Back to Basics to Prevent Back Pain.
Headaches:
If your child complains of headaches, listen to them. It is likely that your child's headache is caused by his or her posture, tight muscles, or a misalignment in the neck. These are called cervicogenic, or tension-type headaches. Read more here. However, other things like food sensitivities or difficulty with eye sight can also lead to headaches. A chiropractor can help determine the source of your child's headaches and how to treat them.
Nutrition:
Exercise:
Kids need a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day. This has become harder to achieve as the demands at school have gotten greater. Exercise and movement are a necessity of life. Exercise improves brain function and learning, combats illness, releases anti-depressant chemicals, improves sleep, decreases pain, improves mood, and helps decrease all of the co-morbidities associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Find activities that your kids enjoy (bonus if the entire family can join in). Exercise is essential. Exercise is medicine. Sports and Athletics:
Sports are everything to some kids. They train all year and don't stop. It's good to keep them active, especially with something they enjoy, but over-training or early specialization in one sport often leads to totally preventable injuries. When your kid complains about pain, don't ignore it or tell them to "shake it off". Have a professional evaluate them. Athletic trainers, MDs, and chiropractors should all be able to evaluate an injury and determine if further evaluation or treatment needs to be rendered. With the proper training, many sports injuries can be preventable. Keep in mind that proper nutrition and hydration (don't forget about that H2O!) are important for athletic performance too!
We love seeing happy and healthy families. Should you have any questions, we are always happy to answer them during a complimentary consultation. Click here to schedule or call 913-268-8300.
We all perform better when we are happy, healthy, and motivated. We believe education is the key to making the shift to a healthier lifestyle, and that's why we offer free health education workshops to businesses and community organizations through our Community Outreach Program. Our objective is simple: to educate and promote healthy lifestyle choices and the positive effects they have. Email drcoleman@mswickard.com to learn more or to set up an event. Best of all, the program is FREE!
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