Back to School Attack of the Backpack

The start of the school year is right around the corner and summer will be coming to an end. With this many of us have already started our back to school shopping and taking advantage of the sales. There is one item that I highly recommend not skimping on: your child’s backpack. Yes, sometimes they want fashion over function but their health and wellness is so much more important! There are stylish and functional “Chiropractor approved” backpacks out there, you just need to know what to look for.

The way you load and carry your backpack is also very important. If the straps aren’t adjusted right or the backpack is too heavy, this too can cause pain and dysfunction. Below is a quick guide to how to find a great backpack and how to carry it once your child makes sure that none of their friends will be carrying the same one on the first day.

1. Choose a backpack that roughly fits the size of your child’s back. Too big will sag down to their buttocks.
2. Find a backpack with padded shoulder straps that will evenly distribute the weight across their shoulders without digging in.
3. Make sure they are wearing both straps over their shoulders. Carrying with just one strap at a time will cause an uneven weight distribution and muscle compensation.
4. Weigh their backpack fully loaded with what they will most likely be carrying every day. It should be no more than 15% of their total body weight.
5. Look for signs of an ill-fitting backpack: pain, red marks from straps, poor posture of arching their back or leaning forward to counter balance the heavy load.

If you have any questions about your child’s backpack or would like us to do a quick assessment, please call our office today!

To Foam Roll or Not to Foam Roll

Foam rolling: is it hype, a fad, beneficial or just plain painful? Let’s explore what foam rolling is first, then we will discuss the when and why.

Foam rolling is a myofascial release technique that uses pressure to reduce and release scar-tissue build up and adhesions in your fascia. This frees up your muscles to move and essentially work better during exercise or any other activity for that matter.

But what is this fascia you always hear about? And why is it so important to movement? Fascia is the web-like fibrous connective tissue that surrounds our muscles, organs, bones and every other internal structure in our bodies. It is a very densely woven matrix that is actually one uninterrupted system that connects every single internal structure. So when fascia develops scar-tissue or adhesions for any reason, it will create restrictions in movement of the attached structures and can also lead to pain in that area.

Now back to the when and why we should all be foam rolling. If you are wanting to quickly decrease your stiffness and aid in your warm-up, you should foam roll before your workout. Foam rolling after your workout is great for decreasing muscle soreness and aiding in muscle recovery from strenuous exercise. If you are wanting to increase your overall mobility and flexibility, foam rolling any time of day regardless of relationship to your workout would be beneficial.

If you have any questions on specific techniques or how to foam roll certain muscles, please contact our office and we would be happy to guide you through the process.