Increasing numbers of school children are reporting spinal pain in clinical practice. Sometimes this can go unnoticed or may be overlooked until it is too late. One of the major causes of back pain in younger age groups is carrying excessive loads to and from school in an ill-fitted or inappropriate school backpack. Recent research has shown a relationship between school bag loads, posture problems and spinal pain.

Choosing an appropriate school bag, having it fitted correctly and wearing it properly is extremely important to ensure healthy development of your child’s spine. A poorly fitted, inappropriately worn or excessively heavy school bag can cause a number of health issues for your child – potentially leading to problems later in life. Any of these issues, particularly when combined with over 12 years of schooling, can lead to such health and spinal problems as scoliosis, kyphosis, neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, lower back pain and poor posture.

Posture problems and spinal pain in children and adolescents have the potential to lead to permanent spinal damage in later years. However, many of these issues can be prevented by following some simple steps when choosing, and wearing, a school bag.

Choosing a School Bag

When choosing a school bag the following tips and design features should be considered:

• Opt for a backpack with two even straps which allow the weight of the load to be distributed evenly over the body. Bags with only one strap can cause injury to the shoulder, back and neck from uneven load distribution.
• The centre of mass of the bag should be at waist height.
• Choose a bag that fits your child and is appropriate to their body size. It should rest comfortably against their back. Avoid bags that are wider than your child.
• The bag should have adjustable buckles or straps to lower or lift the pack into the appropriate position.
• Choose a backpack with a moulded frame and an adjustable waist belt, so that the weight of the backpack can rest on your child’s pelvis instead of their shoulders and spine.
• The waist belt will also help keep the bag close to the body and in place when moving around.
• All straps should ideally be padded and wide to help distribute the weight of the bag more evenly and over a larger area. This should include both the shoulder straps and the waist belt.
• The bag should also be padded where it touches the back.

Research shows people don’t make the link between back pain suffered at night and their beds.

New research from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) and Sealy beds reveals that neck or back pain has prevented nearly half (48%) of people from sleeping.

The research indicates that people are not making the link between their pain and their beds. Despite 43% of people saying that sleeping can cause them to suffer from neck or back pain, nearly two thirds (61%) do not think that their sleeping position is important for their back or neck health.

Worryingly, a staggering 96% said that they do not think that the way they get in and out of bed is important for their back or neck health, which chiropractors regularly attribute to triggering back problems in patients.

Chiropractor, Rishi Loatey, from the British Chiropractic Association, said: “Despite complaining of back and neck pain occurring after sleep, most people don’t think that getting in and out of bed is important to their back health.

“In fact, disc injuries are more likely to occur with bending movements first thing in the morning. As you sleep, the discs in your back hydrate and increase in size. This makes the disc fibres more susceptible to injury. Try and avoid bending movements for the first hour after waking. Your chiropractor will be able to recommend some gentle stretches you can do in the morning”.

The findings come as the 24th annual National Bed Month gets underway, prompting the BCA to urge people to pay more attention to their bed and indeed the way they get in and out of it, particularly as over a third (36%) of people reported not to have even considered their neck or back when they last bought a new mattress.

Neil Robinson, Marketing Director of Sealy UK, comments: “An important part of a good night’s sleep is a supportive mattress. You should change your mattress every seven years and if you’re in pain at night, it might be that you need to buy a new one. If you are buying a new mattress, it’s vital to try it before making the purchase – you wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes without trying them on and mattresses are no different, especially as we all spend such a large amount of our lives in bed.

“At Sealy we are conscious that one size does not fit all, so we stock a wide range of mattresses to make sure that people have as many options as possible.”

Top tips for buying a mattress and protecting your back in bed:
• Try before you buy: If you are lying on your side, your spine should be parallel to the mattress and your spine should not sag (bed too soft) or bow (bed too hard). The longer you can spend lying on a mattress before you buy it, the more accurate this feeling will be.
• Don’t go it alone: Always shop with your partner as your respective ideal mattress tensions could be very different.
• Wake your body up slowly: Don’t leap out of bed first thing in the morning as this can damage the back. Instead, gently get out of bed and avoid bending or doing anything sudden or strenuous until your back wakes up.
• Adopt a good sleeping position: Lie on your side rather than lying on your front with your neck twisted to one side.

For more information on how to maintain a healthy posture, the BCA has developed ‘Straighten Up’ – a simple, three minute exercise programme for all ages, designed to help strengthen the spine and improve posture and help joints. To watch a video of the exercises you can do, please visit: http://bit.ly/straightenup You can also find a lot of valuable posture advice at http://bit.ly/bcapostureinf

As a nation, we love our gardens and spend a considerable amount of time and money on them. As we rush to get those jobs in the garden done, there is a risk that gardeners may injure themselves. What everyone wants is to be fit and healthy enough to actually enjoy sitting in their garden and enjoy the fruits of their labours come summer time, so here are some helpful tips from the British Chiropractic Association.

Clothes

Don’t wear clothes that are tight or could constrict your movement.

Warm Up

Gardening is like any other exercise; you need to warm up first. Don’t go straight into heavy garden work; start off with lighter jobs as this will lessen the chance of muscle strain.

Using a ladder

When using a ladder or steps, make sure you are always facing them, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction.
Rather than leaning or reaching, move the ladder or step regularly to keep up with where you are.
Any kind of ladder must be firmly and safely planted in position and, if possible, have someone else there to keep an eye on things.

Clever pruning

Get as close as possible to the things you are pruning and avoid over-stretching to reach the area you are dealing with.

Invest in some long handled secateurs to reach plants and bushes that are beyond normal reach.

Take a break

Vary your activity by spending no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing and make sure you take regular breaks.

Be clever with the paving

If laying a patio, keep the slab close to your body and bend your knees; it is sometimes better to bend one knee rather two, as your supporting leg gives you a position of strength.

If using railway sleepers, two people will probably be needed.

Plan ahead

If you are planning a trip to the local DIY store to buy heavy items such as cement or gravel, buy smaller bags rather than one big bag as they are easier and safer to carry.

If you do buy heavy items, use a trolley and if on your own, ask an assistant at the store to help you.

If buying things like compost, sand or gravel in bulkier amounts, shovel the contents of the large bags straight into smaller containers or wheelbarrow from the back of the car.

Don’t lift with your arms straight out, keep the elbows bent and to your side to minimise the stress on your back.

If having items delivered, have them unloaded as close to where you need them as possible; this will save the effort of moving them again.

A specialist garden trolley might be worth investing in to move these sorts of materials around, especially if you have lots of patio pots to move around as well.