Another school year is upon us, and that means millions of kids will soon be boarding the bus and heading back for another year of learning. School can be great for your mind, but it can take a toll on your physical health, especially your spine. In today’s blog, we share some tips for how teens and kids can help to protect their spine this school year.
Keeping Your Back Pain-Free At School
You may have youth on your side, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be mindful of your back as you get ready for another school year. Some of the things you do before and during the school year can either help to improve your back health or make it worse. It’s our goal to help ensure you’re not doing anything that could put your spine at risk of injury, so with that in mind, here are a few things you should do this school year to help protect your spine.
- Grab A Quality and Supportive Backpack (And Wear It Correctly!) – If you’re going to be carrying around a heavy backpack to class and back home every day, you need to make sure that it is durable and supportive so that your spine doesn’t have to pick up the slack. Always go with a double strap option and adjust the bag so that it’s sitting just above your butt when you’re wearing it. If it’s too low or too high, your spine will have to bend to account for the weight, and over time that can lead to injury.
- Sit With Good Posture At Your Desk – It doesn’t matter how boring today’s lecture is, don’t slump forward on your desk or lean back in your chair. This will get your spine out of alignment and force it to handle more stress. Sitting can be extremely hard on your spine if you have bad posture, so strive to sit up with your head positioned over your shoulders to help take pressure off your spine.
- Maintain A Healthy Weight – If you have a little more freedom to choose what you eat as a high schooler, make sure that you are still making healthy food choices. Foods that are high in carbohydrates or sugars can lead to weight gain, which will put more strain on your back as you move. These highly-processed foods can also contribute to spinal inflammation, which can make movements painful. Eat a healthy diet and maintain an ideal weight this school year.
- Stay Hydrated – If it’s allowed, bring a water bottle or water container to class and make it a point to drink 2-3 bottles each day. Staying hydrated helps muscle groups perform optimally, and again, while sitting may not seem all that stressful on your body, those muscles that support your spine while you’re seated need to remain hydrated. Dehydration can lead to muscle spasms and cramps, and all you need to do to prevent it is drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Be Active Outside Of Class – Finally, when you’re not in class, challenge your body with movement and exercise. Exercise will help get healthy blood pumping throughout your body and develop key muscle groups that help to support and stabilize your spine. Being active also will help manage your weight, which will directly benefit your spine. Get involved in athletics or go for a walk after school to get your heart pumping.
If you are dealing with any new or worsening back pain this school year, don’t ignore it. Reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office and let us take care of your back pain once and for all. For more information, call our clinic today at (651) 430-3800.
