A recent study showed 72% of primary school and 64% of secondary school children experienced back pain at school. Here are a few simple things you can do to prevent back pain in your children and grandchildren:
- If your child is hunching over school work, or a screen, get his or her eyes tested.
- During homework sessions, make sure your kids get up and move around. Sitting still is a major contributor to many health problems. Make sure they take breaks, even if it’s just to wriggle around a bit!
- Learning to touch-type could help your child in the future. If you can touch-type you don’t need to hunch over the keyboard (plus it’s less tiring, not having to keep looking up from the keys and back down again).
- Fidgeting can be a sign of discomfort, joint hypermobility or neuro-developmental delay. Contact a registered osteopath if you’re concerned that this might be the case. Never assume fidgeting is just bad behaviour.
- A school bag that weighs more than 10% of your child’s body weight is too heavy. Take something out! And ask about the availability of lockers at school – if your child is organised, not everything needs to come home every night.
- Keep your children active to keep them fit and strong. Northamptonshire is full of free and cheap activities to do with kids. Get them out and moving.
Most of this seems like common sense – but often these simple things get ignored during our busy lives.
Top tip: There’s no harm in introducing children to life’s big irritations early. If your children are hunching over a screen for many hours you can always send them outside to use the lawnmower……!
June 2019
Collyweston village website 