Congratulations to MARCOS FRIERE, our Patient of the Month! Marcos has brought three of his children for our customized Nutrition evaluation recently. As a Thank You, Marcos will receive one FREE service visit in our office, either chiropractic or nutrition...and his children will greatly benefit from addressing health issues early on!
Did you know that your child's spine continues developing and solidifying up to age 17? That's one reason that a child with a scoliosis (distorted spine curvature) can be greatly helped with chiropractic care. In fact, we have seen scoliosis reversed!
There is a reported increase in back pain in 11-16 year olds - the period of a child's most rapid growth. As well as being problematical now, this can carry over into later life. This back pain may well be due to multiple factors, but we'll take a look at one possibility - backpacks.
The common practice of carrying all school books and other items in a backpack can easily produce a strain on the back, unless guidelines are followed. Just as there is a "right way" and a "wrong way" of diving into water, so with carrying backpacks.
Here are some excellent tips to help carry your child through those growing years and minimize the chance of sustaining damage from carrying backpacks:
1) Use an appropriate size for the child, to avoid sagging and slipping
2) Get wide, padded shoulder straps to absorb the load better. Waist straps help, too, for balance
3) Keep the load light - no more than 15% of the child's weight if he carries the backpack; anything too heavy affects his immediate posture, which over time could become permanent. (An 80-pound child may carry up to 12 pounds)
4) Balance the load in the bag, heaviest items close to the child's back
5) Sling it over BOTH shoulders instead of one, thus avoiding imbalance from the body's leaning and curving to compensate for the uneven load. Tighten both straps to hold the pack 2 inches above the waist
6) Consider getting a backpack with wheels - best idea!
We're always glad to hear from you. Someone today has requested a Healthful Cooking Class from Mrs. Thropay. If any of you wish to join us, please call or email us back and let us know. We'll try to find a time that suits everyone!
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