It's back-to-school time, and I wanted to talk to you about kids and back pain. I realize that school-age children really should be near the bottom of the pile in terms of likely-to-have-back-pain groups. Despite this, I am seeing more and more children with back pain, both in my practice, and in the medical literature. Want to know why?
There are a few explanations:
1) Kids are more sedentary than ever. Between school and time spent on the Internet/in front of the TV/playing video games, many kids are simply not as active as they need to be, which leads to...
2) Obesity. The incidence of childhood obesity is on the rise, and this places an extraordinary strain on a child's back. Also,
3) Kids are stressed out. School, after-school programs, sports, social activities, and all of the other things kids have on their plates is leaving very little downtime. Add to this the pressures of performing at school, and you've got one stressed-out kid—which will have a crucial role in contributing to back pain.
As parents, you can do a lot to prevent your children from hurting. Consider these suggestions:
-Get up & Get out. Limit your child's screen time. There is a certain amount of time needed for homework, and time online (But mom—I’ve gotta read Whole Living Daily!), but beyond that, get your kids up out of their seats and outside playing. Again, if you rest you rust—and the only thing worse than a rusty parent, is a rusty kid!
-Empty the book bag. Earlier, I asked you to dump the contents of your purse or briefcase, and pair down the contents to just the things you actually need. Do the same for your kids. You wouldn't believe the things that you'll find going through your kids book bags with them—lost clothing, missing homework assignments, uneaten lunches—all things which add up to your child carrying around a lot more weight than they need to.
-Roll with it. No matter how much you clear out from their book bags, some kids are just burdened with too much weight from notebooks, textbooks, computers, and other school necessities. If your child's school cannot provide an extra set of texts for your child to leave home (surprisingly many school districts will make this accommodation) get your kids a rolling backpack. Now, if your kids are anything like mine, you'll be met with 'But I'll look like a dork!' Your obvious reply should be to counter with a question: Which looks dorkier? Using a rolling backpack, or walking around clutching your back, hunched over in the shape of a question mark? Regardless of whether this logic works for your child, you are the parent, and it's your responsibility to protect your kids from harm.
Andrew Kirschner, D.O., is a board-certified physician with a private practice in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, and a consultancy in Miami, Florida. He specializes in treating individuals and couples with musculoskeletal and back pain. To learn more about his practice, please visit BackTogether.org.
