Nothing is more important than the health of your child. But are you doing everything you can to protect your kid’s spine?

With the new school term starting, your child is likely to be walking to, from and around school carrying a backpack filled with text books, homework and whatever else they need for the day. But according to our team at Witney Chiropractic Clinic, your children could be at serious risk of developing back pain if they carry more than 15% of their body weight in their back packs.

With this in mind, all parents should be aware that overly stressing the back with a heavy backpack could lead to long term back problems in their child.

A heavy weight frequently carried on your child’s back can:

• Alter the natural curves in the middle and lower back, which can lead to muscle strain and irritation to the spine joints and the rib cage
• Cause the shoulders to round
• Make your child lean forward which can affect balance

The bottom line? Check your child’s backpack every day before they head for school and make sure they only carry essential items. It takes very little time to make a big impact on your child’s spine health.