It’s that time again where students of elementary, high school and college are darting off all across the United States with backpacks as part of their accessorized attire. Over 40 million students will return to school within the next few weeks. At least 96% of them will be having backpacks.
It is the time of year where parents start to ponder what type of illness will occur this year, will be it lice, measles or the flu. A lot of parents never stop to think that the brand new backpack they had just purchased their child maybe the leading culprit of the chain gang of conditions/illness of the year. Why? Simply because most children have already toted one year after year. Little do we recognize the fact that it can cause painful back and neck problems for their child when they are not carried properly.
Back pain is a very prominent condition in our society today. A minimum of 80% or more of persons will experience low back pain at least once in their life and 50% will experience back pain in a years time.
Each year as the child gets older and they move up a grade there are more text books to carry. Now a lot of schools are attempting to dismiss locker use all together. This is forcing the children to carry all their books with them for an entire school day.
The start of the problem usually comes from children trying to adjust to the weight of the backpack such as leaning forward, off to one side or arching of the back. Trying to have your posture adapt this way can cause a compression and possibly include spinal misalignment. This causes restriction of the shock absorbing function which the discs preform that are located between the vertebra. Over heavy loads tends to make back muscles work harder which then can lead to fatigue, strains and sprains of the neck and back. Also the shoulders and arms feel the undue stress.
There are some precautions you have your child take to help eliminate any unnecessary problems.
Carry only what they have to carry.
Limit of 15% of your child’s body weight should only be carried anything more problems more than likely can and will occur.
Backpack fits snugly over the mid back muscles and bottom of pack rests in curve of lower back, and not more than by four inches.
Heaviest items are to be placed closet to back.
Padded straps are vital so they will not dig into child’s shoulders. Hip and back straps are also recommended along with packs that have several compartments.
If your student has to carry more than the allotted 15% of their body weight then make sure they have a backpack that comes on wheels.
If your child starts to display the following signs:
Have problems putting on or taking off the backpack
Tingling or numbness in arms
Having pain while wearing backpack
Posture change with or without the backpack
Red mark on back, neck or shoulders
Discomfort in shoulder, arm, neck, back or legs
Then it is suggested to call your chiropractor immediately before any further problems can arise.
They are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and give special gentle care when dealing with children. They can also prescribe exercises to build muscle strength and offer nutritional guidance.
Chiropractors just a month ago were named number one for alternative medicine practitioners from a vast survey conducted from persons who use alternative medicine. In a lot of states they are considered a general practitioner. They also have rights in hospitals.
Chiropractic medicine does not consist of medications which have side effects that are both mild and severe. They use all natural practices.
To locate a chiropractor in your area I recommend the National Directory of Chiropractic you can access it online.
Profiles of each doctor is listed along with methods and practice details.Sources:
Chiropractic Resources
A& L Chiropractic Center
