ATLANTA, Aug. 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chiropractic treatment, tips and effective backpack safety can reduce the potential for back pain in developing children, reports Century Center Chiropractic. Children and teenagers benefit from chiropractic treatments to rebalance the spinal column as they grow and implement tips to reduce excessive pressure on the spine and attached structures from heavy backpacks. Dr. Jared Simon, chiropractor at Century Center Chiropractic, helps students maintain their spinal health with regular chiropractic adjustments that improve both posture and focus. Children and youth benefit from regular chiropractic treatments and improvements in biomechanical function for optimal development.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) found a disturbing trend. Back pain in young children is occurring earlier than in previous generations. It was also found that overweight backpacks contribute to this problem. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shared the finding that in 2014 alone, 3,203 school-age children went to the emergency room due to backpack-related injuries. Preliminary reports from France show a direct relationship between the length of time children wear backpacks to the length of time necessary for deformity or curvature of the spine to correct itself naturally. Children in Italian studies showed that 60 percent of participating children using heavy backpacks experienced resulting back pain. Legislation is underway in California and New Jersey to limit backpack weight to 10 percent or less of the body weight of a child and strongly recommend backpacks designed to be ergonomically correct.
Suggestions to parents include limiting backpack weight to less than 10 percent of a child’s body weight, hanging backpacks no more than four inches past the waistline, and wearing both shoulder straps to equally distribute weight. Rollerpacks are an option for some; however the ACA recommends limited use. There are school districts that ban the backpacks on wheels due to the safety hazard they present by cluttering hallways and classrooms.
“Chiropractic care is useful for children and teenagers using backpacks,” said Dr. Simon. “As an experienced chiropractor, I have noticed more children come in for chiropractic care due to back pain from overweight and unbalanced backpack use. I educate children and families on how to reduce pressure on the spinal column from backpack use and what exercises to perform as part of a comprehensive program to strengthen the back and improve spinal alignment and posture.”
Dr. Jared Simon, an Atlanta chiropractor at Century Center Chiropractic, serves residents of the Atlanta metro area, Buckhead, Decatur, Chamblee, Brookhaven and Tucker for more than 20 years. Their staff offers a holistic approach for optimal results. Services include spinal and joint manipulation, hydro massage therapy, physical therapy, physiologic exercises and motion palpitation.
Call (404) 634-1669 to learn how chiropractic and education can benefit children as they return back to school or visit http://centurycenterchiro.com/ for details on their promotion for new patients.
https://www.bu.edu/today/2015/backpack-safety-101/