Now the kids are back to school, parents everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief!
Don’t forget, children may be just as likely to suffer from musculoskeletal problems as adults. As the term moves on, they tend to acquire more and more ‘stuff’ in their school bags, resulting in quite a heavy weight to carry around each day. Many children have school bags that they carry over one shoulder and in order to balance the weight, the child will have to lean to one side, similar to when carrying heavy items in a basket in the supermarket. This can result in back, neck and shoulder pain which can significantly affect their posture from an early age. Poor posture tends to predispose to many musculoskeletal problems, such as functional scoliosis (where the spine becomes curved) and this can, if left unchecked, result in changes that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Children’s bones and joints tend to be softer and more flexible, which means that they can be more prone to developing a scoliosis.
How do I tell if my child is developing a scoliosis? There are a number of signs to look out for, but children with scoliosis may have one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
– one shoulder is higher than the other;
– one shoulder blade is more prominent than the other;
– one side of the rib cage is more prominent than the other;
– one hip (or one side of the pelvis) is higher than the other, making the waistline appear uneven;
– clothes do not hang properly;
To help your child avoid developing a functional scoliosis, here are a few tips to help keep your children’s spines straight and help them to maintain a good posture:-
1) Purchase a rucksack type bag and ensure that they wear them correctly, not slung over one shoulder;
2) Encourage them to take out and leave behind any items that they will not need for school that day;
3) If taking another bag, e.g. sports gear for PE, that whatever weight that they are carrying is equally distributed;
4) Bring them for regular chiropractic check ups. Waterside Chiropractic offers the McTimoney chiropractic technique which is a whole body treatment and can assess and treat many musculoskeletal problems such as scoliosis. Regular chiropractic treatment can ensure that your child’s spine remains straight and that they can maintain a good posture, keeping any aches and pains at bay.