Back to School Back Health
By David Richardson, DPT, Advance Rehabilitation SSI
Heading back to school is an exciting and busy time of the year. We check off our supply lists, shop for new clothes and make sure the young ones are ready for the first day of school. As parents you will have a lot of responsibility to ensure it is a smooth process. The last thing you will likely be worried about is your child’s spinal health. Don’t worry, Advance Rehabilitation has your back…literally.
The daily routine of students over the next 10 months may not be physically exhausting, but the repetition of hauling heavy backpacks and hours of sitting can take its toll on the spine. Not to mention the extra hours spent poring over smart phones and tablets, checking out Instagram and Snapchat while pretending to do homework! That’s right, parents, “text neck” is actually a real condition.
We want to provide you with a few tips to prevent back and neck pain through proper fitting of backpacks and a few simple exercises to reverse the postural damage caused by hours of sitting.
Let’s start with the backpack. Assuming your child doesn’t have a rolling backpack, take time to check the following to ensure proper fit and usage. First, the backpack should not extend above shoulders and it should rest in contour of lower back (not sag below belt line). Shoulder straps should rest comfortably on shoulders and underarms, allowing arms to move freely. Wider, padded straps will better disperse pressure over shoulders. Straps should be tightened so that the pack is snug on the back, and both straps should be worn at all times, because uneven forces on the spine can lead to muscle imbalance. Another important safety feature to consider is that the pack is made with reflective material or strips to increase visibility in low light. The total weight of the pack should not exceed 15% of child’s body weight. If it does, then a rolling backpack should be used.
Next, let us look at a few simple corrective exercises to reverse the effects of hours of sitting at desks while reading, writing and texting…I mean listening to the teacher.
The following few exercises can benefit everyone who is required to sit at a desk all day. It is never too late to begin a daily routine and consider it nothing more than “spinal hygiene.” It can become a normal part of your day just like brushing your teeth.
Hours of sitting will cause your hips to become tight, specifically the hip flexors in the front. This tightness will put excess pressure on the lumbar spine while standing and walking. A simple and very effective stretch to open up the hips and ease the pressure on the spine is the “couch stretch”. This can easily be done at the edge of a couch or chair. Aim to accumulate 2 minutes in the stretched position on each side per day.
The middle part of the back, or thoracic spine, will also lose mobility as a result of prolonged sitting. The thoracic spine needs to be mobile to ensure proper shoulder and neck positioning. In fact, when patients come into our clinic with neck and shoulder pain we almost always see a limitation in thoracic spine mobility. Maintaining proper motion here will prevent a host of issues. Two simple exercises to address this include “thoracic spine extension over towel roll” and the “open book”.
Using a rolled-up towel, lie down with the towel between the shoulder blades and perpendicular to the spine. Keeping your belly tight, take your hands over head and use the towel as a “fulcrum” for the thoracic spine, then bring the arms back to the starting position and repeat 20 times.
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To perform the “open book”, lie on your side with both knees bent and arms straight out. Slowly take the top hand up, away and in the opposite direction. Exhale completely when opened up, then return to the starting position and repeat 20 times. Be sure to perform on both sides.
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It is always a good idea to first increase mobility and then capture the new range of motion with a strengthening exercise. Lastly, we will provide an exercise that activates and resets the muscles that are responsible for maintaining good posture. The “W” is a simple movement that strengthens muscles often compromised by prolonged sitting. Grab a band with elbows at your side. Slowly pull band apart while squeezing shoulder blades together, hold for 1 second then return to starting position and repeat 20 times.
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As humans, we are made to move. We have an amazing architecture that gives us a mobile yet stable spine when respect our intended design. Unfortunately, many things we do on a daily basis hinder optimal functional movement. Encourage your child and even yourself to use these few tips to prevent postural issues that can lead to further dysfunction.
Advance Rehabilitation loves to help. If you or your child is experiencing pain or are concerned about proper body mechanics and want to learn more, give us a call for a free Movement Screening. We can identify ways to help your movement become more efficient and pain-free. Have a great school year!
212 Retreat Village
912.638.1444
For more tips on how to keep your body moving at its best, check out The Movement Medicine Blog by David Richardson.
