Practical Tips to Lighten School Backpacks

Carrying too much weight can lead to back pain and spasms, shoulder and neck pain,and posture issues for children.

Recommendations vary on how much weight in a backpack is too much, but the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says it shouldn’t be more than 20% of your child’s weight. The ideal weight is no more than 10%. For a 60-pound child, 10% of body weight works out to 6 pounds, while 20% would be 12 pounds. You can test the weight on your bathroom scale.

Here's what you need to know to help your children lighten up their backpacks:

Buy the right backpack

Start with shopping for a lightweight, well-designed backpack. These are some things to look for

• Skip the leather. Backpack materials can add to the weight, so look for the most lightweight, but durable, options. Online retailers such as Lands End and outdoor-oriented retailers often have a good selection.
• Get the smallest size possible. You want everything important to fit, but extra space in a backpack may encourage your young pack rat to stuff unneeded items into the backpack, adding to the weight.
• Look for compartments. Compartments also may reduce clutter. An outside mesh pocket for a water bottle makes it less likely your child will have a forgotten—and heavy—water bottle in the bottom of the backpack.
• Pack a separate lunchbox. A heavy lunchbox can add to the weight. Consider having your child carry the lunchbox separately rather than packing it into the backpack.
• For band instruments or laptops, kids may find it more comfortable to use a separate bag or a case with a handle.

Rolling backpacks may seem like an obvious solution, but check with your kids’ school before picking one out. Some schools ban rolling backpacks because they can be a tripping hazard in crowded hallways, and they can be hard to use on stairs and when navigating the school bus. Also, your child’s locker may not be big enough to fit a rolling backpack. Another drawback in some areas? The wheels don’t roll well in snow.

Be creative to reduce backpack weight

A new school year can be a fresh start. These ideas may help your family brainstorm ways to ease back strain from a heavy backpack this year:

• Talk with your child about ways to cut back on what’s carried. Kids can get in the habit of keeping all their books in the backpack all the time, whether they need them or not.
• Check out online resources. Chapters can often be downloaded to an iPad or Kindle so the textbook isn’t needed each night.
See How to Avoid Text Neck Overuse Syndrome
• Copy or scan chapters of the textbook at the beginning of the semester and keep the copies at home, eliminating the need to carry the textbook home most nights.
• Buy a used copy of a heavy textbook to keep at home, allowing your child to avoid carrying it back and forth. Often, textbooks are available at a low price through Amazon.com or home-schooling websites.
• Rather than bring a full bottle of water to school, bring a half-full or empty bottle and fill it up at school. Kids don’t always think about how heavy water is.
• Clean out the backpack often. Some kids are worse than others, but if your child is on the messy side, unneeded papers and other odds and ends can add considerable weight.
• Remind your kids to keep some books in their lockers, if possible, rather than carry everything throughout the day.
• If a heavy band instrument is causing problems for your child, find out if there is a spare instrument your child could keep at home, or consider buying a used instrument or renting one to keep at home.

School policies may unintentionally contribute to heavy backpacks. Locker space has shrunk over the years, and some schools have done away with lockers entirely for security or other reasons, forcing students to carry everything with them. Even in schools with lockers, there may not be enough time between classes for your children to retrieve books from the locker.

As a parent, you can advocate with teachers and school administrators for greater awareness of problems linked to heavy backpacks. Some simple changes might include replacing hardcover books with paperbacks and ending requirements that your children buy bulky 2½- and 3-inch binders.

Some schools provide duplicate textbooks for everyone, eliminating the need to tote books back and forth.

If your child struggles to put on the backpack, it’s probably too heavy. Other signs of trouble include red marks on the shoulders, a tendency to lean forward with the pack, worsening posture overall, and headaches or aches in the neck, shoulders, or back.

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness today at 636-916-0660.  We are your St. Charles Fast Pain Relief Center.  We offer chiropractic care for all ages.  We specialize not only in pain relief, but also posture correction!

The ABCs of Good Posture

As a Chiropractor, I can tell you that your posture is essential to your health. Good posture helps reduce back and neck pain, minimizes your chances of needing spine surgery, and enables you to live an active lifestyle.

But how can you learn to practice good posture? It’s as simple as ABC.

Experience good posture

Spine specialists use the term sagittal balance to describe a patient's spinal alignment or posture. The best way to learn good sagittal balance is to experience what it feels like. 

Here are the ABCs that I teach my patients to help them experience the feeling of good posture: 

Step A

• Begin standing up with your hands by your thighs—slowly arch your lower back and elongate your stomach muscles. 
• Gently pull your belly button towards your spine. 

In this position you should feel your lower back muscles, upper torso, and shoulders aligning over your heels.

Step B

• Rotate your shoulders outward so that your thumbs are pointing away from your body. 
• At the same time, draw your shoulder blades together. 

Adding this step should allow you to feel the muscles between your shoulder blades.

Step C

• With your neck muscles relaxed, look up until your ears line up over your shoulders. 
• During this step it’s vital that you relax your jaw and breathe through your mouth and nose. 

After step C, you should feel your elongated stomach and lower back muscles, the strong muscles between your shoulder blades, and your supporting neck muscles. 

This is the feeling of good posture.

Identify poor posture habits 

On top of experiencing good posture, you can protect your spine by identifying your poor posture habits. Here are some of the posture issues I see at my practice: 

• In today's world of smart phones and iPads, from a young age we spend countless hours staring down at devices with our necks flexed forward and shoulders slumped. This practice is so widespread that it has led to an epidemic of back and neck pain, or “text neck,” amongst children and teenagers. 
• As we grow older, we enter the workforce and spend untold hours—with few breaks—sitting at our desk while staring at a computer. This unfortunate habit deconditions our postural muscles and stiffens our spines. 
• Towards retirement, the cumulative effect of decades of poor posture may result in postural kyphosis, or a permanent flexed-forward posture. A flexed-forward posture comprises quality of life by limiting function, inhibiting balance, and increasing the risk for spinal fractures and chronic back pain.

Make posture a good habit 

You can quickly improve your posture by practicing the ABCs several times a day. If you feel that you need more personalized instruction and strengthening exercises, a physical therapist can evaluate your posture and provide you with additional instruction. 

Remember that good posture can’t prevent all health problems. If you experience severe back/neck pain or numbness in your arms/legs consult with a spine specialist—these may be symptoms of spinal stenosis or another condition.

Take a break right now and practice your ABCs. Good posture can go a long way towards keeping your spine happy and healthy for a lifetime.

Call our office at ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, 636-916-0660, to schedule your appointment to see how Dr. Mario Awwad can help you improve your posture and reduce or eliminate pain.  We are conveniently located in St. Charles, MO, 63303.  

3 Little-Known Tips for Sleeping with Sciatica

Sciatica symptoms don’t take time off to accommodate your sleep schedule. The burning sensation in your calf or throbbing pain in your foot can jolt you awake at any hour—if you’re lucky enough to fall asleep.

To help you find relief—and regain control of your sleep schedule—here are 3 little-known tips for sleeping with sciatica:

1. Elevate your knees

Your sciatica flares up when 1 of the 5 sciatic nerve roots in your lower back is compressed or irritated. Sleeping with your knees elevated may alleviate your symptoms by minimizing the pressure your lumbar discs place on your nerve roots.

Watch Video: What Is Your Sciatic Nerve and Why Does It Hurt So Much?

Interested? Here’s how to do it:

• Lie flat on your back—keep your heels and buttocks in contact with the bed and bend your knees slightly towards the ceiling.
• Slide a pillow between your bed and your knees for support. Slowly add additional pillows until you find a comfortable knee position.
• Don’t despair if you don’t find relief after a few days; no single sleep position works for everyone. Keep experimenting and you may find that a different position minimizes your sciatic pain and allows you to sleep through the night.

2. Enjoy a bath before bed

A warm bath can help you sleep by encouraging the release of pain-fighting endorphins and relaxing the muscles around your sciatic nerve roots.

• Some people with sciatica find it’s easiest to fall asleep immediately after a bath, while others like to read a book or knit after a soak. There is no right or wrong way—but as part of practicing good sleep hygiene try to follow the same schedule every night.
• The temperature of your water should be warm and pleasant, not hot. Hot water can make it difficult to fall asleep by raising your body temperature.
• If a nightly soak isn’t for you, there are plenty of other heat therapy options. Try applying a hot water bottle to your lower back/buttock or consider sleeping with an adhesive back wrap that provides continuous, low-level heat.

3. Consider ditching your mattress

Some people find that sleeping on the floor relieves their sciatica symptoms—though experts disagree over the potential merits and drawbacks.

Here are a few pointers if you want to give it a try:

• For sanitary reasons, avoid sleeping directly on the floor, instead try a yoga mat or large beach towel.
• Don’t give up after one night—you may struggle to adjust to the firmness of the ground. Give it a week, and if your symptoms remain unchanged—or you still can’t sleep because you miss your mattress—retire your yoga mat or towel.
• You might find that sleeping on a firm surface alleviates your sciatic pain, but, for a variety of reasons, you may not like sleeping on the floor. If this is the case, consider purchasing a firm mattress or removing the box spring from under your bed.

I hope all of the above advice will help you find relief from your sciatica symptoms and enjoy a more restful night’s sleep.  Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness in St. Charles MO at 636-916-0660 to schedule your first life changing appointment.  Dr. Mario Awwad specializes in Sciatica and Low back pain.  

The Latest Cause of Neck Pain: Pokémon Go

The popular smartphone game Pokémon Go has people—young people, in particular—spending hours looking at their phone, which is putting them at risk for neck pain. Learn what you can do to prevent neck problems from playing Pokémon Go. 

Pokémon Go is everywhere—this smartphone game is so popular that people are pouring out onto the streets and into their neighborhoods for hours on end while trying to "catch 'em all."

The game is being lauded for its health benefits as players spend hours and walk miles in search of Pokémon to capture. 

But if you’re looking down at your phone the whole time you’re playing, you’re putting your health at risk in other ways. Specifically, you may be at risk for text neck.

What is text neck?

Text neck is posture in which the neck is bent forward and down as someone looks at their handheld phone or device. If this posture is held for an extended amount of time, it can strain the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck, causing pain and stiffness.

More alarmingly, chronic text neck may lead to premature degeneration in the cervical spine, bone spurs, and muscle deformity. This is especially alarming for young people’s spines. Their spines are still growing and developing, and experts aren’t sure what impact this can have over the course of years or decades.

How to play Pokémon Go injury-free

If you or someone you love is playing Pokémon Go a lot, these tips can help prevent text neck and the problems it can cause:

• Hold your phone at a higher angle.
  
  The higher you can hold it while playing, the less strain you’re putting on your neck.
• Take breaks.
  
  After you catch a Pokémon, take a short break to put the phone down and arch your neck and shoulders back. If you’re at a Pokéstop or Gym, take a break every 15 to 20 minutes. 
• Stretch your neck.
  
  Tuck your chin down, then slowly raise it upward. Then swivel your head over one shoulder, then the other.
  In addition to text neck, Pokémon Go players are in danger of tripping and falling by walking while looking their phones. Don’t get so wrapped up in the game that you’re not watching where you’re going, especially on busy streets or sidewalks. 
  Finally, seriously hard-core players may be putting themselves at risk for shin splints if they’re walking much more than usual. Check out this article about recognizing and treating shin splints on our sister site Sports-health.
  Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness today at 636-916-0660.  We are located in St Charles, MO (63303), conveniently off of highway 70 and 94.  We will be glad to schedule an appointment to discuss your health concerns.
  
  

Bed Rest Is Not the Best for Beating Back Pain

When you are experiencing low back pain, your first instinct may be to crawl into bed. Until a few decades ago, you doctor probably would have told you to do exactly that.

But the tide has turned on our understanding of what is best for tackling back pain, and now the consensus is this: When you have back pain, you should limit or avoid bed rest.

What research says about bed rest for low back pain

Clinical practice guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Pain Society (APS) say that patients with low back pain should be advised to remain active. This is categorized by the ACP and APS as a “strong” recommendation.

Research to support this recommendation exists, but it’s not very robust. One survey of 10 studies, all of which compared activity versus rest for low back pain patients, found moderate support for small pain decreases in those who remained active.2 Another study of Japanese workers with acute low back pain found that those assigned to the rest group were more likely to have recurring or chronic back pain, compared with the active group. 3 More research is needed to verify these results.

Why activity is better than rest

When you understand how the body works, it makes sense that activity would be better than inactivity to promote healing. From our bones to our soft tissues, our body needs movement and activity to stay in its best condition.

Lack of activity can have several negative effects:

• Muscles can grow stiff and weaken 
• Soft tissues like ligaments and tendons can lose their flexibility and become more vulnerable to injury
• The intervertebral discs, which hold fluid like a sponge, can lose nutrients and become dried out and inflexible

Without exercise, back pain can be prolonged and even increase, which further discourages activity. In addition, bed rest can take a psychological toll on people, increasing the likelihood of depression and suffering.

Fortunately, all of this can be avoided by being active as soon as you’re able when back pain strikes. When pain in severe, your doctor may advise you to spend a day or two resting, but more than that should be avoided, if possible.

How to keep moving despite back pain

The best way to stay active even when back pain is present is this 3-prong approach:

1. Activities that strengthen your core
2. Stretches that maintain flexibility
3. Low-impact aerobic exercise

It’s important to talk with your doctor or physical therapist before starting a new exercise program, especially if you’re having an acute back pain episode. If you experience sharp or sudden pain while exercising, stop right away and consult your doctor.

Call 636-916-0660 and talk to Karen or Rachel about scheduling your New Patient Appointment.  We specialize in fast pain relief by utilizing chiropractic adjustments, decompression and massage.  We are located in St. Charles, MO and are conveniently located off of Hwy 70 and 94.

How Cooler Weather Affects Chronic Pain

Does cold weather worsen your pain? You’re not alone. Although various studies have shown no or very slight associations between pain and weather factors like temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and wind speed, patient experiences tell a different story. Many people report that damp or cold weather worsens their pain. One study of 800 Europeans with osteoarthritis found that 67% reported that they feel the weather affects their pain levels.1

In another small but fascinating study, those who had osteoarthritis reported a greater sensitivity to cold and pressure than control subjects without arthritis—even when parts of the body not affected by arthritis were tested. This suggests to the study authors that chronic pain may alter the way nerves respond to stimuli and increase their sensitivity.2

If the cold makes your pain worse, try incorporating heat therapy into your daily routine. Heat therapy decreases stiffness and promotes healing through increased circulation.

Here are a few ideas for adding heat to your routine:

• Apply a hot pack, warm towel, or heating pad to the painful area. Simply doing this for 20 minutes at a time may be enough for temporary pain relief.
  
  
• Use over-the-counter heat wraps. Available in most grocery stores and pharmacies, heat wraps can provide warmth for joint-related back pain and other symptoms for up to 8 hours at a time.
  
  • Try water therapy. You may experience pain relief by swimming in a heated indoor pool a few times per week, or by soaking a whirlpool or hot bath.
    
  • Stay active. It can be tempting to hibernate during the colder months, but inactivity can increase some types of pain. If you prefer to stay inside, consider getting a treadmill—you can walk while you watch TV or a movie.
    Weather changes are unavoidable, but you can take steps to manage the worst effects of it.
    
    Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness in St. Charles, MO to schedule your appointment with Dr. Mario Awwad and see how he can help you with pain.  We utilize chiropractic adjustments, decompression and massage to encourage healing. Call 636-916-0660, Karen and Rachel are waiting to set up your life changing appointment.  Ask about our New Patient Specials!
    
    References:
    

  1. Self-perceived weather sensitivity and joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis in six European countries: results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA). BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014 Mar 5;15:66. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-66.
     
  2. Subjects with Knee Osteoarthritis Exhibit Widespread Hyperalgesia to Pressure and Cold. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 25;11(1):e0147526. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147526. eCollection 2016. 
     

Non-Surgical Treatment for a Lumbar Herniated Disc

Most cases of lumbar herniated disc symptoms resolve on their own within six weeks, so patients are often advised to start with non-surgical treatments. However, this can vary with the nature and severity of symptoms.

Initial Pain Control for a Lumbar Herniated Disc

Controlling the intense pain is the most urgent need when symptoms first appear. Initial pain control options are likely to include:

• Ice application. Application of ice or a cold pack may be helpful to ease initial inflammation and muscle spasms associated with a lumbar herniated disc. An ice massage can also be helpful. Ice is most effective for the first 48 hours after the back pain has started.
• Pain medications. The doctor may recommend non-prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to treat pain and inflammation.
• Muscle relaxants. Muscle spasms may accompany a lumbar herniated disc, and these prescription medications may offer relief from the painful spasms.
• Heat therapy. Applying heat can help relieve painful muscle spasms after the first 48 hours. Heating pads, a hot compress, and adhesive heat wraps are all good options. Moist heat, such as a hot bath, may be preferred.
• Heat and ice. Some people find alternating hot and cold packs provides the maximum pain relief.
Bed rest for severe pain is best limited to one or two days, as extended rest will lead to stiffness and more pain. After that point, light activity and frequent movement—with rest breaks as needed—is advised. Heavy lifting and strenuous exercise should be avoided. 

Additional Therapies for Lumbar Herniated Disc 

These other therapies are often helpful for longer-term pain relief:
• Physical therapy is important in teaching targeted stretching and exercises for rehabilitation. The program may also teach the patient safer ways to perform ordinary activities, such as lifting and walking.
• Epidural injections of steroid medications can offer pain relief in some cases. An epidural steroid injection is intended to provide enough pain relief for the patient to make progress with rehabilitation. The effects vary, and pain relief is temporary.
• Spinal manipulations performed by a chiropractor or osteopath may also ease pain and provide a better healing environment. 
• Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles inserted into the skin near the area of pain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved acupuncture as a treatment for back pain. 
• Cognitive behavior therapy can be helpful in managing sciatica pain. The therapy helps people control and change self-defeating behaviors. A therapist helps the patient in face-to-face or online sessions. A therapist may also be helpful in teaching techniques such as mindful meditation and visualization to reduce pain.
• Massage therapy can ease back pain by increasing blood circulation, relaxing muscles, and releasing the body’s natural pain relievers, called endorphins. 
• Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness at 636-916-066 to schedule your appointment to see if chiropractic treatments can help you avoid surgery.  Located in St. Charles, Missouri, we specialize in spinal conditions that put pressure on your nerves, that translates to pain.  We have helped thousands avoid surgeries and regain their health.