Many parents are reporting that children are starting to have back pain at younger ages. This may be due to several factors. The children of today are leading different lives than most of us did when we were children. They spend much more time in sedentary positions than they do participating in activities.
One of the most overlooked sources of back pain in children is sleeping habits. Many kids simply do not get enough rest. They usually require 8-10 hours per night. This amount of time is important for the body's systems to restore themselves. Sleeping position is very important. Lying on your stomach places stress on the low back and neck. The best positions to sleep in are on your side or on your back. As a charlotte chiropractor, I have seen the effects of sleep deprivation on both children and adults.
One item that can cause low back pain in children is school book bags. The bags are becoming increasingly heavy. As school curriculums expand, the books have become heavier. Often as a security measure, the time between classes is kept at a minimum. This results in children not having enough time to get any books stored in their lockers.
One great solution is to see if they have downloadable versions of books. Some schools are switching to this method. If your child is using a book bag, make sure that they use both straps. The bag should be up high and tight to the body to reduce back strain. The proper weigh of a child's book bag should be no more than 10 % of their body weight.
The best backpacks have shoulder and waist straps, but it can be difficult to get kids to wear them at times. There are also bags that roll. If you purchase one of these, make sure that they switch arms from time to time. This prevents overstretching of the chest muscles. Chiropractors can perform a postural exam to show the effects of a book bag or backpack.
Video games and computers are a frequent cause of low back pain in kids. Most video games are played while sitting on the floor with no back support. This position is held for very long periods of time in many cases. Parents need to limit the amount of time spent playing video games as well as computer use.
An often overlooked area of injury to kids is sports. Since children are very resilient, many of their injuries are overlooked. The pain usually goes away rapidly, but an injury may still remain. Parents should not be embarrassed about seeking healthcare for any possible injury. Take extra care when overlooking any sports injuries or falls. Better safe than sorry!
Having a postural exam performed on children can be very helpful. Many postural problems can be detected and corrected if found early. Prevention is always the preferable treatment. Following some of the tips in this article can help with back pain in later years.
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