Keep your Spine in Line Heading Back to School

It’s no secret that back to school may be looking slightly different this year. Whether your students are returning to school full-time or not, it is still important for them to understand the importance of posture while wearing a backpack. In the growing age of technology, significant postural changes are occurring from looking down at phones and tablets. In an effort to limit similar changes that tend to occur while traveling to and from school, let’s tackle this head on.

Your spine does not fully mature until about age twenty, so it is important to be aware of the positions you are putting your spine into, in order to promote healthy growth. A constant forward flexed position may not seem like an issue during your youth, but over time it can tighten muscles and reduce the body’s ability to comfortably move through a full range of motion.

A backpack should rest between the shoulders and the top of the hips. This allows for the weight of the materials inside the backpack to be more evenly distributed along the spine. A sagging backpack increases the pressure being placed on the low back, where a backpack that is resting too high causes the student to hunch forward more. While wearing your backpack, work to engage your abdominal muscles. You can practice doing this by acting as if you were going to blow up a balloon. The tightening that occurs at your abdomen with this activity is the process of activating your core. Remember, a strong core can keep your low back from feeling sore! We are happy to help you get your back ready for school at Infield Chiropractic (216) 938-7889.