Backpacks Lead to Back Pain and Poor Posture in Children

Most school age children spend a significant portion of their day toting around a backpack. These backpacks, when worn improperly and loaded to capacity, can be detrimental to a child's spinal health and increase their chances of receiving a spinal injury. Consult with one of the best spine specialists in Chennai for the treatment and advice.

When wearing heavily loaded backpacks, a child tends to take on a postural imbalance, which causes them to lean forward with their shoulders, head and neck. This posture increases the possibility for lower back pain. The poor posture makes it difficult for the spinal disc to adequately absorb shock. 

Furthermore, the increased pressure on the upper shoulders and back can cause improper development of the back muscles and chest - or pectoral - muscles. Over time, the lengthened back muscles weaken, causing pain in the lower regions, which have now taken on part of the heavy load. Often times, a child is oblivious to the lasting damage they have caused to their back until they reach their 30s or 40s, when back problems start to cause discomfort.

If you notice your child leaning forward while walking normally, they may be suffering from early back problems brought on by improperly wearing a backpack. Other signs to look for are pressure marks on shoulders, numbness and tingling in the arms or hands, showing pain when putting on, taking of or while wearing a backpack.

With the amount of homework and extra curricular activities most children take on, a proper way to carry their books and belongings to school is a necessity. Knowing how to wear a backpack correctly can ensure your child's spinal health. First, make sure the backpack is worn between the shoulder blades and not hanging down below the child's waistline. Also, the backpack should not be carried over one shoulder, which unbalances the weight distribution throughout the spine.

Second, do not swing the backpack from one arm to another when putting in on. An awkward twist can result in spinal column and disc damage.

Third, try to eliminate any unnecessary weight. If you don't need a certain book one day, there is no point in carrying it around. Or carry the first half of the day's weight, while leaving the second half of the day's materials in a locker. After lunch, your child can switch loads.

Fourth, remember to bend at the knees and use your legs when lifting anything heavy - especially a fully loaded backpack. And when loading a backpack, make sure you place the heaviest books closest to the back, which will help reduce gravitational drag.

Finally, many backpacks have a multitude of pockets and compartments. Using these pockets will help distribute the weight evenly across a child's back and decrease the amount of uneven stress to the back muscles.

Following these tips will help your child get through the school day safely and will decrease the amount of stress on their back, considerably reducing the potential for lasting back pain and damage.

Back Pain Relief: Desired By All

Back pain relief is desired by most of us since back pain is a common phenomenon. Most of us suffer from back pain from one or the other point in our life, but a majority of us are unaware of the true reason or the cause of this ailment. A poor posture or a strain in the back muscles generally leads to pain. Activities such as lifting, bending and twisting can result in back pain. Although back pain may emerge suddenly, it may be caused by a problem which has plagued us for a long time.

Appropriate back pain relief can be provided only after finding out the exact cause or the identification of the situations that result in back pain. Back pain can be acute, recurrent or chronic. Most of the people suffering from back pain fall in the first category wherein the pain vanishes in about six weeks and home remedies prove to be very effective. In the case of the recurrent category, the pain reappears after some time while chronic pain lasts for a longer period of time.

Simple exercises or massage can provide adequate back pain relief in cases where the pain is not severe or is caused by a poor posture or a simple strain in the back muscles. However, in cases where the pain stays on for a longer time and is accompanied by other symptoms such as the difficulty in passing urine or numbness in the back or the genital area, weakness and a shooting pain in the leg or feeling unstable while standing, one should consult a neuro specialist in Chennai rather than rely on home medicines or remedies.

Bed rest is not an effective method to provide back pain relief. Evidence has shown that rest does not aid in the recovery of a person suffering from back pain. It is much better if we continue with our normal activities while taking some measures for relieving the pain.

Massage and regular exercise are the two effective methods of providing back pain relief. Yoga is considered to be one of the best ways to reduce back pain. However, some Yoga positions may aggravate the pain. So it is essential that we carry on these Yoga exercises under the supervision of a trained instructor. Many a times, non prescription medicines such as aspirin or other pain killers provide adequate back pain relief. Application of a cold pack or ice wrapped in a towel to the affected area for five to ten minutes also reduces the pain.

It is also essential that we avoid sudden movements which can hinder back pain relief. We also need to maintain a proper posture at all times and avoid slouching. It is said that prevention is the best cure. So it is important that we identify the various factors or activities that result in back pain and than try to restrict their happening. The best way to ensure adequate back pain relief is to identify and solve the factors causing the pain.

Discectomy Surgery Recovery for Fenestration Spine

When the spinal disc protrudes out or herniates, a lot of pressure is placed on the spinal cord and nerves, resulting in severe pain, numbness or even paralysis. Fenestration and discectomy surgery for the spine is a minimally invasive surgery done by cutting a hole in the vertebral bone known as the lamina. Through this method, the disc can be removed without causing any instability to the spine.

Recovery time differs from each patient and most patients will wake up to leg pain caused by sciatica. However, the pain will go away within a couple of weeks as the recovery takes place. In the first few days after spine surgery, pain relief medication will be prescribed and must be taken constantly to reduce the pain. Depending on the severity of the surgery, patients may be required to wear a back brace to stabilize the back.

Once the anesthesia wears off, the recovery process will take place. It is advisable to start slow and not place too much stress on the back.

Sitting - Sitting is a tedious task after surgery and patients are normally unable to sit for more than 15 minutes.

Walking- Slow walking will work up the muscles and prevent any tissue scarring which will cause future pain. Patients should try to walk as soon as possible after surgery.

Brace - Depending on the severity of the surgery, patients may be asked to wear a supportive back brace. The back brace will provide the much needed lumbar support.

Physical Therapy - A couple of weeks after surgery, patients will start to perform physical therapy exercises that are comfortable yet aggressive to aid in the healing process. Exercises such as cycling and hydrotherapy are especially useful.

Wound care - The incision area should be washed with sterile saline solution and kept dry. It can also be exposed to the air. Patients should never attempt to remove the sutures by themselves.

Shower care - The wound area must never be hit with water as it may cause the wound to open up. Patients may shower but can only bathe when the wound is completely healed.

Driving - Only when the pain decreases to a mild level will patients be allowed to drive. Patients are not allowed to drive if they have consumed medication. It is advisable to have a companion when they are driving.

Back to work- Roughly a month after surgery, the patient will be able to go back to work. However, it is extremely important not to add stress or excessive movements on the back during work.

Discectomy provides a faster and permanent pain relief as compared to non surgical options provided that the surgery is a success. However as there are risks that the spine will be damaged, the patient must consider all options available before making a decision.

We introduce you Singapore Sports and Orthopaedics Clinic where professional help will be offered in the areas of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for slipped disc and sports injuries.