Now that summer vacation is in the rear-view mirror and kids are back in the classroom, they’re adjusting to various physical stressors of the new school season. These include doing homework on their tablet or laptop, toting a too-heavy backpack, and suffering from sports injuries. As your Winnipeg chiropractors, we want share tips to help children of all ages enjoy optimal spinal health.
#1. Give Posture Reminders
A common modern-day malady that’s afflicted kids and teens everywhere, tech neck can result from looking downward at digital devices for extended periods. “One of the things we’ve been reminding our teenagers is to practice as great a posture as possible, especially as they’re gaming or using a device,” said Dr. Dan.
It’s important to keep an upright posture and take breaks every 30 minutes to stand up and move around. Doing so engages those back muscles to help maintain that proper posture.
#2. Suggest Stretching & a Spinal Tune-up
One of the biggest stressors for kids, especially from that transition from summer to back to school and sports, is that many children are inactive during the summer. Now they’re forced to move quite a bit more than they’re used to, which can create more injuries, soreness or stiffness.
In our practice, we’ve seen a little bit of an uptick in those issues, as the tryouts for sports have started in the last few weeks. It’s always a good idea for athletes of all ages, including kids, to stretch before engaging in sports.
If your child’s tryouts haven’t started yet, we recommend that you bring them in so we can check their spine to ensure everything is moving properly. So if they experience any shifts, twists, bangs and bruises, they can recover quite a bit quicker because things are moving well. This approach is much better than them starting with a stiffer spine, then having a bump, bruise or fall, which could escalate into a greater injury quicker.
#3. Ensure Their Backpack Isn’t Backbreaking
In our recent YouTube video, Dr. Dan “goes back to school,” and demonstrates good posture and the proper way to wear a backpack. In addition to using both shoulder straps when wearing a backpack, ensure your child’s load is at 10-15 percent or less of their body weight.
Pediatric chiropractic care can help keep your child’s spine aligned and ensure their nervous system is operating optimally this school year and beyond.
Contact us today to book an appointment!