Help Your Children to Avoid Back Pain With These 7 Tips

Back pain is a common ailment and can be debilitating. According to professionals, over 80% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Even children are affected by this. The majority of children will suffer from some form of back pain-it is one of the most prevalent childhood disabilities.

However, although it may be impossible to prevent your child from experiencing low back pain eventually in their lives, there are certain things that can be done to help reduce the number or severity of episodes they experience. This article offers 7 tips to help parents minimize or avoid back pain for their children.

1) Choose A Good Backpack

Choosing a good backpack is one of the best ways to help prevent back pain in your child. Poorly designed and low-quality backpacks can cause strain on your child’s spine. In addition, heavy or load-bearing backpacks can also be harmful.

Research shows that children who use a high-quality backpack with proper weight distribution are half as likely to experience back pain. Ensure your child’s backpack has good lumbar support, has wide padded straps, and is adjustable to grow with them. If you want to be sure your child has a good product, comparing backpacks seems like a good idea. This way you can compare the weight, adjustability, and general design of a number of backpacks to ensure you find the right one.

2) Help Your Child to Remain Active

Kids who remain active and avoid sedentary behavior are less likely to experience back pain than children who don’t. While it is normal for your child to want to sit down or lie down while at home, you should encourage them to get up and move around frequently. The best way to ensure that your child is active during the day is to enroll them in a sport. This will ensure that they remain active, can bond with their peers, and have fun too! There are plenty of sports that kids find interesting such as football, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, swimming, and many more. Find out what your kids like and help them to become members of a team.

3) Make Sure Your Child Has a Firm Mattress

Having a good mattress is an excellent way for your child to reduce their chances of experiencing back pain. A firm mattress will provide support and prevent bedsores, which can often lead to chronic pain over time. Investing in a good mattress is a worthwhile investment. You can find plenty of different mattresses online or in stores. You should do your research to ensure your new mattress has features such as proper support and comfort.

4) Teach Your Child the Importance of Good Posture

Whether your child is sitting or standing, they should always try to maintain good posture so that their spine remains in proper alignment. This will ensure they can keep their back strong, healthy, and pain-free for years to come. It is particularly important that your child keeps a good posture when sitting. Teach them to sit with their back against the chair and feet on the floor. Sitting correctly is the best prevention against back pain in children.

5) Avoid Carrying Heavy Objects

Having good arm and shoulder strength is important, but carrying heavy objects for long periods of time can take its toll on your child’s body. They can end up with bad posture and experience chronic back pain as a result. Teach them the importance of not carrying around heavy objects for long periods. This can help reduce their chances of experiencing back pain when they are older.

6) Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight is an excellent way to reduce your child’s risk of ever experiencing back pain. Carrying excess weight can put a strain on their skeletal system, which over time may lead to them experiencing chronic back pain. Teach your child the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and staying active. By doing this they will likely have fewer visits to the doctor in the future. If your child is obese, you should take them to a doctor as soon as possible so that they can begin living a healthier lifestyle. You can also change their eating habits by feeding them healthier food and cutting back on junk food. Your child may also benefit from having a personal trainer guide them through their daily activities to ensure they are exercising correctly.

7) Get Professional Back Pain Treatment

While these tips can help, sometimes children end up experiencing back pain no matter what they do. If your child is in a lot of pain, you should take them to the doctor. They may be suffering from something else aside from back pain or it may be too difficult for you to treat at home. A doctor will be able to diagnose the problem and provide treatment options that will best suit your child’s needs. Some common conditions in children include scoliosis, bone diseases, slipped discs, and more. Fortunately, these are often treatable when diagnosed early on by a specialist in children’s pain management. Even if there’s no condition, a doctor will be able to help them enjoy playing sports and other activities without pain.

While back pain in children is common, it can be avoided with the right precautions. Encourage your child to participate in sports and playtime at school every day, make sure they have a firm mattress for bedtime, teach them about good posture while sitting or standing, don’t let them carry around heavy objects long-term (especially if they are younger), maintain their healthy weight by cutting out junk food and exercising regularly – these will all help reduce their risk of ever experiencing back pain as an adult. If you’re worried that your son or daughter has persistent symptoms despite following these tips, talk to your doctor because it may be a sign of something more severe such as scoliosis, bone disease, or a slipped disc. We hope this article provided you with the necessary tips and tricks to avoid future back pain in your children.