The new school term will soon be here and our daily routines (and sanity levels) can return to what they were before all chaos broke loose for 6 weeks.
But as we send our children through the gates for another year of learning, we may have another issue to fret over. (And yes; we mean on top of all the other never-ending worries that come with being a parent.)
We’re talking about homework and our kids’ spines.
While overloaded bag packs are regularly scrutinised under the media spotlight, no one ever seems to mention the way in which our children actually work with the contents. According to our Southend chiropractor, many children adopt poor posture while studying or doing their homework, which holds the very real risk of leading to long-term back problems.
Here our experienced chiropractor shares effective and little known tips on ensuring your children protect their spines at homework time:
Head Tilt
Ensure that your children do not bend their heads down to read. Just like “Text Neck”, regularly lowering the head to read can cause excessive strain on the cervical spine.
Elbows
Help your children to reduce the risk of shoulder strain by checking that their elbows are not raised awkwardly as they type. Ideally, your children’s elbows should be rested on side rests or side arms so that the weight of the arms is off the shoulders.
Lumbar support
Make sure your children’s lower spines are supported by investing in a good quality study chair.
Forearms
Check that your children are not typing with their forearm below their armrests. If your children work from an armchair, place a pillow or attaché beneath their laptop/ tablet. This will allow them to use their armrests and type with level forearms
H20
Ensure that your children stay hydrated during homework sessions. Keeping the body hydrated is an effective inflammation fighter, so keep the H20 coming in regularly supplies!
Breaks
Your children should take breaks away from their workstation/ computer around every 20 minutes. Make sure your children get up, stretch and walk around during their breaks – remaining at their desks checking their social media updates will have the same impact on their spines if they were to study without a break!
You can have a positive impact on your children’s back health by educating them on these simple changes. Believe us; they’ll thank you for it in later life.