Go "Back to School" for the New Year with Back To Health Family Chiropractic

Hitting the books shouldn’t mean back pain and injuries. But for many young students, over-weighted backpacks or incorrectly worn packs are unnecessarily increasing the risk for pain and injury. Youth sports injuries can also impact spinal alignment and increase the risk for future health problems. With back-to-school season under way, our Board Certified Atlas Orthogonist Dr. Chris Michlin and Certified Health Coach Nancy Michlin are working with parents to decrease the risk of injury and pain in younger children.

Fort Worth Atlas Orthogonal Adjustments Support Healthy Children

From backpacks to youth sports injuries, here’s what every parent needs to know to keep their children healthy and active this school year:

1. Watch backpack weight and size - A child’s backpack should not weigh more than 15 percent of the child’s bodyweight. Worse, wearing overweight backpacks incorrectly can lead to postural problems and strained muscles. To evenly distribute weight, select a backpack with well-padded shoulder straps that will protect the shoulders and the neck. Correctly load the pack by placing heavier items on the bottom or up against your child’s back, and the lightest on top or in the “front” of the pack.
2. Wear the backpack correctly - Wearing backpacks over just one shoulder may be the current fashion, but it’s harmful to your child’s back. Always wear a backpack with both straps. Adjust the straps so the pack fits snuggly against your child’s back. Encourage your child to use the waist belt to better distribute weight. Wearing a pack correctly can help reduce the risk for pain and strain on the back, necks and shoulders.
3. Treat pain and injuries promptly - If your child complains of back pain, don’t ignore these complaints. The same goes after a youth sports injury. While children are resilient and can appear to bounce back quickly after injury, there may be underlying spinal alignment issues that still need to be addressed. Fort Worth Chiropractor Dr. Chris Michlin is the only Board Certified Atlas Orthogonist in North Texas. Dr. Michlin offers gentle Atlas Orthogonal adjustments that are gentle, specific, reproducible, and safe for children. Adjustments can also help your child recovery faster after an injury and improve their performance.

Call us today at 817-810-9111 to schedule your child’s back to school appointment.