S. Elgin Chiro says backpacks may equal pain

As parents, we are focused on providing the very best for our children. As we send them off to school, our intention is no different.

We are often told that carrying a bag of books on one shoulder is bad for posture. So, we confidently turn to the 2-strap backpack thinking we are taking stress off the little ones’ backs.

However, contrary to popular belief, these backpacks can be just as bad for the health of your children’s spines. When worn improperly or packed too heavily, even the 2-strap backpack can negatively affect the neck, shoulders, upper back and lower back.1

In a 2003 article published in SpineJournal, researchers revealed that out of 1122 backpack users, 74.4% suffered back pain. When compared with adolescents who had no back pain, adolescents with back pain carried significantly heavier backpacks compared to their body weights. These facts led the researchers to conclude “the use of backpacks, and especially the backpacks carrying heavier loads, was independently related to the incidence of back pain in adolescent students.”2

In another study, researchers found backpack weight was effective in predicting back pain in a sample of 3,498 students in California. They also found that girls and students who walk to and from school were more likely to report back pain. When the severity of pain was taken into account, older age, walking to and from school, and method of wear were all statistically significant.3

Knowing the harmful effects of a backpack on a child’s musculoskeletal health, what can parents do?

According to the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) and the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), the idea is to “Pack it Light, and Wear it Right.” Both the CCA and the ACA agree on the following recommendations regarding the choice, packing, and carrying of backpacks.4,5

1. Choosing a Backpack

An important factor is the size of the backpack relative to the size of the child. The top of the backpack should not extend higher than the top of the shoulder, and the bottom should not fall below the top of the hipbone.

The backpack ought to be as light as possible – made from materials such as nylon or vinyl instead of leather.

The shoulder straps should be at least two inches wide, adjustable and padded. The straps themselves must leave ample room for movement of the arms. The back portion of the backpack should also be padded for protection and comfort.

Backpacks should always include a hip strap or waist belt. This redistributes as much as 50 to 70 percent of the backpack weight to the pelvis, which decreases the load on the upper back, neck and shoulders.

Choosing a backpack with several individual pockets instead of one large compartment makes it easier to prop-erly distribute the weight. Another option is to use a backpack-style carrier with wheels and a pull handle for easy rolling.

2. Packing a Backpack

The total weight of the backpack plus its contents should never exceed 15 per cent of a person’s body weight (e.g., a 90-pound child should not carry more than 14 pounds in a backpack). For elementary-aged children, reduce this number to below 10 percent of their body weight.

Pack contents so the weight is evenly distributed in the backpack. Place heavier items closer to the body. This reduces the pulling effect on the shoulder straps. It also makes it easier for the child to maintain balance without leaning forward.

To help stay under the recommended load, only pack items needed for that day. Load odd-shaped items on the outside to prevent them from digging into your child’s back.

3. Carrying a Backpack

Both shoulder straps should be adjusted so the pack fits snugly to the body but not too tight. A parent’s hand should be able to slide between the backpack and the child’s back. Always fasten hip straps.

If you’re still not sure what to do, ask  chiropractor Dr Schening for advice. In addition to helping fix spinal misalignments caused by an improperly fitting back-pack, Chiropractor Dr. Schening of Life Time Health and Wellness can help prevent these problems from happening in the first place.

References and Sources:

1. Whittfield J, Legg SJ, HedderleyDI. Schoolbag weight and musculo-skeletal symptoms in New Zealand secondary schools – Applied Ergonomics2005: 36(2): 193-8.2. Sheir-Neiss GI, Kruse RW, RahmanT, Jacobson LP & Pelli JA. The Association of Backpack Use and Back Pain in Adolescents – Spine Journal 2003; 28(9): 922-930.3. Siambanes D, Martinez JW, ButlerEW & Haider T. Influence of School Backpacks on Adolescent Back Pain. – J Pediatr Orthop 2004;24(2): 211-217.4. Pack It Light, Wear It Right – Canadian Chiropractic Association publication.5. Backpack Misuse Leads to Chronic Back Pain, Doctors of Chiropractic Say – AmericanChiropractic Association.

South Elgin Chiropractor Can Help Whiplash

The traffic light ahead turns red. You bring your vehicle to a stop. Then BANG! Your head snaps forward then backward. Your car is hurtled a foot into the intersection. You realize almost immediately what just happened. Your vehicle was rear ended. Other than being startled by the event, you’re okay… or are you? Despite feeling fine, you may have just received a common and sometimes serious injury: whiplash. Your chiropractor here in South Elgin can tell you that it’s often a deceiving injury.Whiplash Damage When your vehicle is rear ended, your neck can get stretched beyond its natural range of motion. Whiplash can occur at speeds as low as 5 mph.

You may feel pain quickly or you may not develop symptoms for several hours, weeks, or months. Your neck (cervical spine) contains muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, joints and nerves confined to a relatively small area. And whiplash can injure all these body components. Although it happens most frequently in rear-end vehicle collisions, whiplash can occur in other situations – especiallyin the sports of football, gymnastics, boxing and contact martial arts. Besides the neck and upper back, pain from a whiplash may extend into other areas of the body, such as the arms and shoulders. You may also suffer muscle stiffness, burning or tingling sensations as well as headaches and numbness. Even if you don’t have any immediate whiplash symptoms, you should visit your South Elgin chiropractor as soon as possible.

What Can Affect Whiplash Recovery? The severity of your whiplash and recovery from it depends on many factors. Your age, sex, physical condition, and posture can have a major effect on the acuteness and length of symptoms. As you age, you lose flexibility and strength in your neck, disc and ligaments. This is why older adults may require more extensive rehabilitation for this injury. Women suffer whiplash more than men. Experts believe this could be because men have stronger neck muscles and women have smaller bone structures. Health conditions like arthritis and previous whiplash injuries can play a role. If you’re a smoker or you don’t exercise, your chances of healing quickly are reduced. Poor posture at the time of impact can worsen whiplash. If your driver seat’s headrest is not at the appropriate height, you may endure a more intense injury.

How Does This South Elgin Chiropractor Treat Whiplash? So what action will your chiropractor take when you arrive with a possible whiplash injury? Your chiropractor will conduct an exam to determine the extent of any injuries and may request x-rays to get a better look at the damage.If whiplash is confirmed, chiropractors may use a number of techniques to restore proper function to the affected areas. They may use adjustments to reduce constriction in the joints and improve mobility. They may also employ techniques to relax and gently stretch the muscles. Applying pressure to specific trigger points on the body helps relieve pain and can restore injured areas to their normal state. Your chiropractor may also get you to perform specific exercises and stretches during the healing process. Exercises can help stabilize and improve co-ordi-nation in the neck and prevent improper movement. Most whiplash cases are resolved within a few weeks. However, some people may endure symptoms well beyond this period. Fortunately, research has shown that chiropractic is an extremely effective approach to healing whiplash. In a study conducted by the Journal of Orthopedic Medicine, researchers found 74% of those people in the study treated for whiplash with chiropractic care showed improvement. The researchers proclaimed, “The results from this study provide further evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms.”1 The researchers also noted that other treatments for whiplash were disappointing.1Preventing Whiplash There are steps you can take to minimize the risk of whiplash. Make sure your vehicle’s headrests are in the right position. The center back of your head should touch the center of the headrest or higher. When engaging in sports, you should always use appropriate and proper-fitting equipment.If you know someone who has suffered whiplash, tell him or her that chiropractic care can make a person feel a whole lot better!

References and Sources:[1] A symptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for treatment.Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M, Bannister G., Journal of Orthopedic Medicine 1999;21(1):22-25.Chiropractic treatment of chronic whiplash injuries – Woodward MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Injury 1996;27:643-645.Motion Analysis of Cervical Vertebrae During Whiplash Loading – Spine: 15 April 1999 – Volume 24 – Issue 8 – pp 763-769

Back Pain and Headache Help in S. Elgin

Can Back Pain Really
Be“All In Our Heads”?
Researchers analyzed a survey
distributed to college students to find
out the prevalence of back pain in this
population. The survey revealed up to
38% of the students reported having
significant back pain within the previous
school year.
Of the students with back pain,
researchers found that only psychosocial
factors remained statistically
significant as being associated with the
symptoms. In the end, it appeared that
chronic fatigue or emotionally-abusive
relationships were the most strongly
associated with their back pain.3
Dr Schening your South Elgin  chiropractor knows that
life-stress can be a significant cause of
muscle tension and subluxations.
Chiropractic adjustments help relieve
tension throughout the body and reduce
fatigue associated with it.

The “Pop” and Pain
Relief
Researchers wanted to know whether
the pop heard during the chiropractic
adjustment really makes any difference
to the level of pain relief perceived by
the patient versus when no noise was
heard during the adjustment.
The researchers enlisted 40
asymptomatic patients and first tested
them for thermal pain sensitivity on
their legs and lower backs to create
baseline values. Then, the patients
underwent a lumbar adjustment. For
some, the audible pop was associated
with the movement and for others it
was not. All subjects were then
re-tested for thermal sensitivity.

The results may surprise you.
Researchers found that there was a
significant reduction in thermal pain
sensitivity after the lumbar adjustment,
whether or not a sound was heard
during the maneuver!4 So, you don’t
need to hear a pop to know that the
chiropractic adjustment is helping you.

References and Sources:

2. Weber Hellstenius, SA.
Recurrent Neck Pain and
Headaches in Preadolescents
Associated with Mechanical
Dysfunction of the Cervical Spine:
A Cross-Sectional Observational
Study With 131 Students. JMPT
2009 (Oct.); 32(8): 625-634.
3. Gilkey DP, Keefe TJ, Peel JL,
Kassab OM & Kennedy CA. Risk
Factors Associated With Back
Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study of
963 College Students. JMPT 2010
(Feb.); 33(2): 88-95.
4. Bialosky JE, Bishop MD,
Robinson ME & George SZ. The
Relationship of the Audible Pop to
Hypoalgesia Associated With
High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude
Thrust Manipulation: A Secondary
Analysis of an Experimental Study
in Pain-Free Participants. JMPT
2010; 33: 117-124.