Summer is drawing to a close. Goodbye days of bare feet and beach attire (well at least on weekdays-–we do live in Southern California after all). It's time to go back to school. Heading back to school also means lugging backpacks, lunches, and often sports/band/extracurricular gear. All of that stuff can really wear students down! On top of that, wearing your backpack incorrectly over long periods of time can lead to back, shoulder, and/or neck pain. Improper fitting backpacks or just having too much stuff can lead to altered posture or gait. To keep your kids' bodies healthy, we have a few tips to help make sure your kids are wearing their backpacks correctly!

Pack only the essentials.
Lay out all the items that you think you may need, and then decide what you can’t go without. Pack the essentials, and leave the rest at home. The ideal backpack weight should be no more than 10-15% of the wearer’s body weight. The smaller the child, the more important this is.
Pack with a plan.
When loading the backpack, distribute the weight evenly. Make sure the heaviest items are packed in the center to prevent slouching or tilting to one side.
Adjust the backpack to the wearer.
Make sure the straps are tightened so that the backpack is secure on both shoulders and rests on the curve of your back. If it is hanging down resting on your bottom, it is too low.
Wear the backpack with BOTH straps all the time.
This promotes even posture. Good posture is its own reward!
Make sure it’s comfortable (and stays comfortable).
Once a bag has been fitted, it doesn’t mean it never needs to be adjusted again. Throughout the school year, your child may grow and the straps may slip/loosen over time. Make sure to check the straps throughout the year, and note that the straps may slip/loosen asymmetrically.
Minimize wearing time.
If your child has access to cubbies/cubicles/lockers encourage them to use them! This can keep their bags lighter and takes stress off their spine.

Any other questions regarding spine health and backpacks? Feel free to reach out to us! Or come by, and we'll assess that your child is wearing their backpack correctly!

What is scoliosis? Should you be concerned? Can chiropractic help? Should I get a brace? Do I need surgery?

I remember being in middle school getting screened for scoliosis every year in gym class. At the time, I don't think I even knew what scoliosis was. I just knew that once a year, I'd go to gym class, and they'd look at my back, have me bend forward, then look at my back again. June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month, so this week we'll be diving in to scoliosis.

The simplest definition is that scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. Your spine is supposed to have curves when you look at it from the side but not from the front/back. Scoliosis is when you have curves that go to the side.

The curves you can see in the normal spine help with the natural physics and structure of the spine. In Scoliosis, you get an S or C shaped spine. In 80-85% of all cases the cause of scoliosis is unknown (aka idiopathic in science talk).

The severity of scoliosis is determined by how big the abnormal curvatures are. The bigger the curve(s) the more drastic the side effects. Doctors will use radiographic imaging (x-rays) to measure the size of the curve. The standard measurement for scoliosis is the Cobb Angle. Using the Cobb Angle, scoliosis is defined by a curve of 10° or more. Using the imaging, the cases are defined as mild (10°-25°), moderate (26°-40°), or severe (>40°).

When it comes to treating scoliosis, chiropractic care makes sense! Chiropractors are neuromusculoskeletal doctors. We work with keeping the body aligned. Since most cases of scoliosis have unknown causes, it can be tricky to treat them. What chiropractic can do is work with the musculature around the area of the curve. We can work on tight muscles which may be contributing to or a result of the abnormal curve. We can work on maintaining joint movement in the spine. We can also provide exercises to help strengthen the posture muscles and stabilize your body.

The goal when it comes to patients with scoliosis it to catch it early. If you can catch it early and use chiropractic care to manage your scoliosis, you may be able to help stop the progression and even correct the curve. A study published earlier this year showed that 90% of patients that participated in a chiropractic rehabilitation treatment for idiopathic adolescent scoliosis had curve correction or stabilization.

If the curve keeps progressing, and it gets to the moderate or severe stages, bracing becomes more pressing treatment option. If chiropractic care and bracing aren't helping, a surgical consult may be the next step.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at Select Chiropractic and Wellness.