Is your SPINE ready for school?
Books and pencils? Check. Backpack? Check. Lunch? Check.
Starting a new academic year is exciting! Let’s consider the role of spinal health to support kids (and adults!) for a successful academic year. Chiropractic care enhances kids’ overall health and well-being by enhancing brain processing and building correct posture for the back-to-school season.
Processing
The prefrontal cortex of the brain relates past experiences, processes and reacts to current input from our surroundings. It gives us the insight, planning and learning capabilities that guide the actions that define us. One 2016 study showed that spinal adjustments to dysfunctional segments change how the brain processes sensory input and then plans for output, a key function of the prefrontal cortex. (1) Literally, chiropractic is therapy for the brain! Each chiropractic adjustment provides very specific sensory input to the spine, giving the brain a localized “focus-boost” on how to move, think, and process appropriately.
Posture
Proper posture is fundamental to a child’s physical development and overall well-being. Slouching during class can cause headaches and affect brain function and mood, hindering the ability to focus and excel in school! Heavy backpacks cause significant biomechanical, physiological and discomfort impacts on the wearer, especially over 10% of the student’s weight. (2) Over time, incorrect posture leads to muscle imbalances, contributes to developing arthritis, and can impact organ function such as breathing. Chiropractic adjustments aim to keep the communication lines between the brain and the body clear, allowing efficient muscle use and training the body to balance and control posture as it was designed to. Addressing spinal misalignments early on reduces the risk of developing chronic issues later in life and helps prevent musculoskeletal problems.
As children gear up to head back to school, chiropractic offers a holistic approach to spinal health, addressing issues promptly and setting youngsters up for a healthy school year. And remember that chiropractic isn’t only for learning kids. Higher education students, parents and caregivers need to keep your bodies and brains functioning at top potential too!
Spinal checkup? Check!
References:
- Lelic, Dina, Niazi, Imran Khan, Holt, Kelly, Jochumsen, Mads, Dremstrup, Kim, Yielder, Paul, Murphy, Bernadette, Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr, Haavik, Heidi, Manipulation of Dysfunctional Spinal Joints Affects Sensorimotor Integration in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Brain Source Localization Study, Neural Plasticity, 2016, 3704964, 9 pages, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3704964
- Perrone M, Orr R, Hing W, Milne N, Pope R. The Impact of Backpack Loads on School Children: A Critical Narrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Nov 12;15(11):2529. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112529. PMID: 30424517; PMCID: PMC6267109.
