3 reasons why a Chiro Check Up is an Important Part of your Back to School Routine

It’s back to school time again, and as you get ready to send the kids off to school, you’re probably running around with a to do list as long as your arm – here’s why a chiropractic check up for your kids needs to be on that list…..

School bags were reported to feel heavy to 79.1% of children, cause fatigue in 65.7% of children and cause back pain in 46.1% of children^{(1) .}  And heavy bags are not the only postural challenge facing our kids, with the rise of smart devices, our children are spending more time looking down than ever before!

• Heavy back packs can lead to poor postural habits – this can cause back pain, headaches, and muscle aches and strains
• Incorrectly fitted backpacks can interfere with circulation and nerve signals
• Heavy backpacks change the way children walk and can put them at risk of falling off balance

Poor posture affects a wide range of things, and they aren’t all pain related. Poor posture is associated with:

• Decreased concentration
• Increased fatigue
• Harvard researchers found that our posture is correlated with how we feel about ourselves, and children with better posture have decreased amounts of a stress related hormone, cortisol, present (up to 25% less!)⁽²⁾
• Changes in the body’s biomechanics – for every 2.5cm your head shifts forward, the weight of your head doubles for the muscles and joints in the neck and upper back to hold it up – that’s a lot of extra work!⁽³⁾

Kathie and Gabie are experts at assessing and correcting any pain or other concerns that arise from poor posture, and we’d love to make sure your kids are functioning at their best for the start of this school year. Book your back to school check up here

References

(1) Negrini S, et al. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002, BackPacks on! Schoolchildren’s perceptions of load, associations with back pain and factors determining the load. Accessed 18^th January 2018 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11805666/

(2) https://www.ollieowl.com.au/2014/10/posture-can-affect-how-we-feel-about-ourselves

(3) – https://youtu.be/I-4p8auyrc8