It’s that time of the year, back to school preparations are in full swing! Parents are excited but anxious sending their children off to school. We often wonder if they will get along with the other students or if they will excel in the school curriculum. However, we don’t often think about the impact of school on our child’s health. Whether you are heading to school for the first time or returning to school, here are 3 handpicked tips from our physiotherapist.
1. Be Active:
Sedentary behavior is prevalent in Australian society. As technology advances, social media apps are more accessible to people. Individuals are spending more and more time on their phones and prefer staying home to play their video games. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1 in 4 Australian children are either overweight or obese. Exercise is important for strong bones and muscles which can help protect them from many metabolic issues and musculoskeletal injuries. Limit the use of screen time. Encourage your child to walk to school and play a sport!
2. Choose an appropriate size school backpack:
The variety of subjects your child study at school will also mean many extra textbooks they have to carry to school. Your child should use the school locker to help lighten the backpack. The items in the backpack should only include the necessary items. A backpack should be 10% of your child’s bodyweight. Extra weight on their school back can make your child lean forward and put unnecessary strain on the body and may lead to injuries. The heaviest item should be placed closest to the child to evenly load the spine. The backpack should fit comfortably and they should not need to grow into it. Other features that make a great backpack include:
- Padding to help support the shoulders. Both straps should be worn to avoid leaning on a side
- Wide shoulder straps to evenly distribute load between the body
- Chest straps to distribute load between chest, pelvis and back.
3. Appropriate shoes for school:
Young children have a lot of energy and they will be doing a lot of walking and running in school. It is important as parent to invest in a good quality shoe. Cheaper shoes often have less support for the foot. There is no one size fits all approach in selecting a shoe for your child. A general rule is to pick a school shoe where there is a thumb width from the big toe to the end of the shoe. Make sure you get your child to walk around and trial the shoe for comfort. If your child complains about discomfort then it is time to get a new shoe.
If you are concerned about any aspect of your child’s physical health or would like to learn more about injury prevention strategies for your child, we can help!
Contact one of our expert physiotherapists to book an appointment today. Our physiotherapist will provide a comprehensive analysis on how they move and provide treatment strategies to help them return to optimal performance.