Do you sometimes feel schools are training children to be porters when they grow up?  You’re not alone.  All over the world, parents and doctors are worrying about the weight that children have to carry, and the effect it has on their backs, shoulders, and general health. Considering the resources Health& Safety place on manual handling in the adult workplace, it’s time that we give as much if not more attention to our children.

 An average school day consists of eight periods or classes, usually of different subjects.  Each subject requires the child to carry a textbook and several notebooks.  Added to the several kilograms of books and notebooks are lunchboxes, water bottles, and sports equipment.  Children end up carrying huge burdens on their backs, and it is no wonder that so many of them have aching backs and shoulders.

 Lifting heavy burdens for a long time or distance isn’t good for anyone, least of all children as their bones are ‘soft’ and still developing.  A recent study found that half of the schoolchildren studied had pain in the back or shoulders.  The researchers also found that children in lower grades carried heavier bags.

 Carrying a heavy bag on the back causes forward leaning and bad posture, which can lead to improper weight bearing on the spine, and pains and aches in the back and shoulders.  Carrying a backpack weighing in excess of 10-15% of body weight makes a child or adolescent unable to maintain proper standing posture.  Children can get into bad postural habits that can become habits of a lifetime.

 Forward bending at the back (also called kyphotic posture) makes the work of breathing harder.  Children carrying excessively bags have been found to have poorer lung function.  

Children who use one strap bags (which put weight on one shoulder only) have particular problems.  These bags cause sideways deviation of the spine (scoliosis) because of the asymmetric weight distribution, and this can cause long lasting back aches and damage. 

 Even something as simple as a child using two straps on his rucksack, rather than one, can make all the difference  between a healthy back and dangerously bad posture.

 Bags in the good old days were lighter because educational standards were lower, and there were not so many extracurricular activities available.  We can’t reduce educational standards or deprive children of their sports and other recreation, but efforts from teachers, school managements, and parents can help to great extent.  

 Blackwater Chiropractic makes the following recommendations for parents & schools,

 Provide lockers to children in school.

 This will allow them to leave sports equipment, and certain books and notebooks in school.

Tell students in advance which books will be needed and which can be left at home. 

 Bag it up.

 If your child has to carry a bag to school – make sure you offer advice as to the type of bag they choose.

Buying a backpack that has wide, padded shoulder straps and a waste belt. The straps should be adjusted so that the bag is held close to the back and weight is evenly distributed. Consider using a backpack with wheels.

Encourage your child to wear their backpack over both shoulders.

 Keep it light.

 Make sure your child is not carrying any unnecessary excess weight – check that all the items in their bags are essential.  

Limit the weight your child carries in a backpack to 10-15% of his body weight. 

Teach the child to put down the bag when waiting at the bus stop, in the assembly, etc.

Ivan Danne, B.Sc., D.C., M.C.A.I.

Doctor of Chiropractic

 If you require further advice on back care and spinal health, please feel free to contact Ivan at Blackwater Chiropractic (Mallow & Youghal) on 022 57715, 087 9268482 or at www.blackwaterchiro.ie .

The ideal posture would allow for a plumb line to hang straight through your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. Try and stand relaxed, but gently contracting your abdominal muscles. When sitting the same is true, the gravity line should pass thorough ear, shoulder and hip.

Blackwater Chiropractic makes the following recommendations for maintaining a good posture:

Give your posture a sporting chance

Unaccustomed exercise can put you at risk of back pain. You might only play a relaxed low-risk sport once a week but you still need to prepare yourself sufficiently – mentally and physically. Warming up and warming down is essential to ensure that your joints and muscles don’t get a shock. Strong abdominal muscles can help to prevent a potential bad back.

Don’t just sit there

Lack of exercise is your worst enemy. Regular exercise is essential, as the fitter you are, the less likely you are to injure yourself. Simple activity such as stretching and shoulder shrugging all helps to keep your back in line. Do not sit for prolonged periods.

Don’t drive yourself around the bend

On the school run or picking up the monthly shop, the last thing on our minds is the state of our backs while in the driving seat. But there is almost twice as much pressure on your back when you are sitting incorrectly than there is if you stand up. So relax – a relaxed driving position reduces stress on the spine, allow your seat to take your weight, try and make sure you are sitting as far back in the car seat as possible so it can support you fully.

Sit up straight in front of the TV

When you are relaxing in front of the box, the tendency is to “slouch” when sitting. The ideal sitting position is to let the seat take your weight so if possible keep as much of your body in contact with the chair so that your whole body is supported.

Perfect Posture © British Chiropractic Association. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced without permission. 2009

Carry with care

Be aware of the potential dangers of putting more strain on one side of the body more than the other. Any bag that sheds equal weight on both shoulders is preferred, so if you can carry items in a rucksack – do it! Adjust the straps of a bag to keep it as close to the back as possible, which ensures weight is evenly distributed across the back.

Footloose and fancy free

Having good footwear is an essential part of having a good posture – a factor that is often overlooked. Soft-soled shoes, which are supportive and have a good grip, are recommended.

Perfect PC posture

Huge amounts of people spend hours in front of a PC each day – make sure you are sitting comfortably and have your spine supported. Don’t forget to move around, limit yourself to forty-minute sittings and take regular breaks. If possible have your arms supported.

And so to bed

Try and adopt a sleeping position which creates less physical stress on the back first thing in the morning. For example, lay on your side and not on your front with your neck twisted. When you wake up, wake your body up and try some gentle stretches like drawing your knees to your chest.

Overall, your back is most at risk when either embarking on an unaccustomed burst of activity, or during a mundane activity where you pay less attention to your posture. Regular exercise and awareness is key to maintaining a healthy back – just keep thinking of that plumb line!

Ivan Danne, B.Sc., D.C., M.C.A.I.

Doctor of Chiropractic

Forget manual labour, office work has been named the top back breaking profession by an International Chiropractic Association.

Research conducted amongst practitioners overwhelmingly found that sedentary PC posture is likely to be causing more back problems than excessive lifting and carrying. The poll was conducted to coincide with World Spine Day, on Friday 16th October 2009.

Those most at risk from back pain are:

1. Office Worker – Long periods of time sitting in awkward positions, often slouched over computer keyboards, or maybe sitting at chairs not properly adjusted for their needs.
2. Nurse – Long shifts, often on their feet all day as well as lifting and carrying.
3. Driver – Hours a day spent at the wheel, sitting in a poor position, along with limited movement.
4. Labourer – Repeated strain from lifting heavy weights and often twisting in awkward positions.
5. Teacher & Nursery Staff – Continuously bending down to a child’s height and lifting children can cause back problems

56% of Chiropractors involved in the survey highlighted that those who work in an office were more vulnerable to becoming victims of back pain.

This survey has highlighted what practitioners have known for some time. Lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle is taking its toll. It is assumed that those most at risk from back pain are the ones who have very physical jobs however, as this research has unveiled, whilst lifting and carrying are still common triggers for back pain, it is those with less physically demanding jobs and who are often seated for the majority of the day that could be most prone to back problems.

For many who work in an office environment, it is the day to day, mundane routines that are at the root of most back problems. Hunching over computer keyboards and cradling the phone between the ear and shoulder can all contribute to lower back and neck stiffness, not to mention the fact that many office workers sit for hours at a time with very little movement.

In fact, recent consumer research carried out by the BCA revealed that 59% of the working population sits down all day at work and nearly 50% of those who work refuse to leave their desks: even for lunch! It is not surprising that come the weekend, it is the office workers waiting in Chiropractors clinics.

World Spine Day is an international day aimed at raising awareness of the importance of making sure we all take care of our backs. Even though our lives are increasingly busy, we need to make time for our health.

World Spine day began as part of the Bone and Joint Decade (BJD) Action Week. The Bone and Joint Decade was an international multi-disciplinary initiative to improve the health-related quality of life for people with musculoskeletal conditions and was active between 2000 and 2010. Blackwater Chiropractic shares the BJD’s objectives to raise understanding, awareness and cooperation in tackling the problems of musculoskeletal conditions including back pain.

A third of the population is suffering from back pain at any one time, causing thousands of people distress and discomfort. The good news is that it is avoidable.

For more information please feel free to contact Ivan Danne at Blackwater Chiropractic on 022 57715 .