Back problems are not confined to adults! You may be shocked to find that 8% of young children suffer chronic or back problems and this rises to 13% in 10 to 16 year olds.
It’s ‘Back to School’ time and so we thought it was a good time to offer some advice to all you parents out there for ways to help protect your children’s backs.
Here are a few simple pieces of advice our team of experienced chiropractors at Cliffs recommend you follow:
- Bag it up – a rucksack really is the best option, as long as your child carries it over both shoulders. The straps need to be adjusted so that the bag is held close to their back and always place heavier items at the top of the rucksack.
- Keep it light – we’re all prone to carry too much and this is true for children as well. Check your child’s bag daily to ensure they aren’t carrying any unnecessary items.
- Best foot forward – wearing the right shoes can make carrying a heavy bag much easier. Make sure yoru child wears good, soft-soled shoes that are supportive and have a good grip on the ground. If they have shoes laces then these need to be tied up properly to provide adequate support.
- Move around – staying still for a long time is not good for the spine. Limit your child to 40 minutes on their phone, laptop, tablet, and computer or in front of the TV then encourage them to get up and do something else for a while.
- Keep fit – the fitter your child is the less likely they are to injure themselves. Make sure your child is taking regular and frequent exercise.
If you have concerns over your child’s back then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice in this area. Contact us on 01702 430430 or email us at info@CliffsChiro.co.uk to get in touch.
Meet Shirley – it’s hard to believe she is 80!
As part of Chiropractic Awareness Week, Dr Arif Soomro from Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on Sea , was interviewed by BBC Essex.