Back to School!

Back to school!  Curriculum nights, meet the teachers, and shopping for school supplies.  One purchase that often gets little thought, other than the color, is the backpack that the child will be carrying everyday!  This is actually one of the most important purchases that you make and can have a life long affect on your child’s development and health.
Why?  If a backpack is the wrong size or if it is worn or used improperly, they can cause injuries and can impact your child’s developing spine.  The consequences can last a lifetimes. 
  • Studies show that 64% of children have backpack related pain. 
  • 65% of adolescent Medical Doctor visits are due to back pack injuries. 
  • 3,300 children between the ages of 5-14 were treated in the ER for backpack related injuries. 
 What is causing these injuries?  When a young adult carries excess weight on their spine as they're growing and developing, it can create spinal misalignments and subluxations.  As the child grows through future growth spurts these injuries may result in structural imbalances such  as a scoliosis. 
The symptoms that are associated with backpack injuries include:
  • Neck Pain
  • Upper Back Pain
  • Mid Back Pain
  • Low Back Pain
  • Arm and/or Hand Numbness
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Postural Disturbances
  • Abnormal Gait
If your children suffer from any of these complaints, a great place to address these concerns is at Care More Chiropractic!  Chiropractic can restore the spine to the proper position allowing the body to heal from the injuries. 
As you go to buy a backpack during the Tax Free Weekend what features should you look for?
  • The straps should be lightweight and padded
  • A waist strap will transfer the load to the hips and low back
  • Separate compartments to help distribute the load evenly
  • The backpack should not be larger than the child’s back
What else can you do to help prevent these injuries?
  • It has been recommended that the child’s backpack not weigh more than 10-15% of their weight.  This means that if a child weighs 40 pounds their backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 6 pounds!  A 100 pound child’s should be limited to 15 pounds!
  • Remind kids:  Pack only what you need!
  • Request/purchase a second set of textbooks so your child doesn’t have to transport them back and forth to school. 
  • Place heavier items in the bottom or against the back of the backpack
  • Tighten the straps so the backpack does not hang below the waist.
  • Always, Always, Always use both straps!
At Care More Chiropractic we are committed to helping your child and all the children of our community grow up healthy and strong!  Starting today through Saturday August 18th we are offering Free Backpack Fittings.  In addition, if you have not had your child’s spine checked recently, please call to day and schedules a FREE consultation and exam. 
What you do today to help your child stay healthy will benefit them today and yield rewards later in life.  Care More Chiropractic will help give your kid’s the tools for a successful school year!
Dr. k

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