Top Chiropractor in San Leandro, CA

San Leandro Chiropractor

Back Packs Safety – Back to School and 14 Helpful Tips

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It is not a secret that heavy back (BP) packs for school children are the leading cause of lower back and shoulder pain. I have seen too many children in my almost ten years of my practice suffering from this problem unnecessary. About 40,000,000 students go to school every day. It is crucial that every child carries their schoolpacks properly in order to avoid neck, lower back and shoulder pain.

Make sure the backpack is the right size for your child. The proper size is equal to 75% of your child’s back, meaning the space between the waste and the shoulder blades.
* A child’s back pack weight should never exceed 15% of their body weight according to The Congress of Chiropractic State Association. So this little chart should be helpful.
50 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 7.5 pounds
80 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 12 pounds
100 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 15 pounds
130 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 19.5 pounds
150 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 22.5 pounds
* Choose a backpack with padded shoulder straps that sit on both shoulders. BP with one strap such as messenger bags distribute all the weight on one shoulder instead of evenly on both shoulders. Also, bak pack without padded shoulder straps can cause pressure on the nerves that surround the child’s armpits.
Safety tips on how to avoid backpack injuries

  1. Wear both shoulder straps evenly to properly distribute BP weight.
  2. Get the correct size BP for your child.
  3. The BP should not extend below the lower back. Bigger is not better.
  4. Lighten the load and put the heaviest items in the BP first keeping them the closest to the body.
  5. Lift the BP with your legs and not with your back and place it on one shoulder strap at a time.
  6. Do not leave BP on the floor to avoid someone tripping on them.
  7. Choose a quality BP that has wide well-cushioned shoulder straps with a lumbar support/padding.
  8. Talk to teachers about reducing the need to bring home textbooks or if at all possible have an extra set for home use.
  9. Bend at the knees.
  10. Using both of your hands, check the weight of the BP.
  11. Never sling the BP onto one shoulder and avoid swinging the BP.
  12. Use both shoulder straps at all times. Make them snug but not too tight. Carrying on one shoulder can cause long-term neck, shoulder, back, and postural problems.
  13. Use the stabilizing waste strap if the BP has one present.
  14. Look for signs that BP is poorly fitted or overloaded on a daily basis. A couple signs that the BP is overloaded or not being worn properly is pain, red marks from the  straps, or poor posture.

Being a Safe Backpack Advocate

School’s authorities and children’s  parents must work together in resolving heavy BP issue. The following things can be done by school’s authorities:

  1. allowing students more time in between classes to use lockers
  2. purchasing paperback books
  3. implementing school education programs about safe backpack use
  4. purchasing books on CD-ROM or putting some curriculum on the school’s website, when possible

Adjustment of the backpack would be necessary if one of the following things happened:

  1. Your child struggles to get the BP on or off have back pain and  lean forward to carry the BP
  2. If your child has back pain or numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, talk to your family doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist.

Some  Facts were taken from The Founders of  Backpack Safety America International TM. Visit them at www.backpacksafe.com

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) endorses the use of Air Pack brand backpacks which are available at www.airpacks.com

Please Leave some comments with your favorite back to school story!

Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and Chiropractic Rehabilitation in San Leandro, CA

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frozen shoulder

Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and Chiropractic Rehabilitation

Frozen shoulder (FS),medically referred to as adhesive capsulitis, is a disorder in which the the connective tissue surrounding the glenohumeral joint, becomes inflamed and stiff, and grows together with abnormal bands of tissue, called adhesions, greatly restricting motion and causing chronic pain. Some people experiencing this kind of problem don’t go for any forms of treatment in order to gain back the motion of their joints. The condition will get better eventually without treatment but it will take a very long time to do so. The pain and the reduced Range of Motion without any form of treatment means only one thing, you won’t be able to function to a full capacity. The more you try to move your joint, the more pain you will experience. Therefore, it is best to seek treatment for pain control. There several options for patients who have frozen shoulder pain:

1. Oral and Injectible Steroids

2.Hydrodilation and Hydroplasty

3. Chriopractic rehabilitation with Physical Therapy

4. Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Frozen shoulder(FS) is more common for people between the ages of 40 and 60. If you have diabetes, you are more prone to experiencing frozen shoulders as around 20% of diabetic patients also suffer from this condition at one point. Though, the actual causes of FS are still inconclusive but there are risk factors that may increase your chances of suffering from this condition. The conditon is twice more common in women than men. If you are between the ages of 40 and 60 and female who has diabetes, you have a higher risk of acquiring a frozen shoulder. Endocrine problems also increase your chance of experiencing a frozen shoulder. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you are also at a higher risk of suffering from a FS. Lastly, if you suffered from a shoulder injury or trauma and you immobilized your shoulder joints for a long period of time, you have the highest risk of developing a frozen shoulder.

According to health professionals who treat FS, the condition generally follows a course of three stages:

  • Stage one: a slow onset of pain, and the shoulder gradually loses the range of motion. This stage can last from six weeks to nine months.
  • Stage two: a slow improvement in pain relief, with stiffness remaining. This stage can last from four to nine months.
  • Stage three: a “thawing” as shoulder slowly regains motion and pain is relieved. This stage can last from five to 26 months.

There are two options for a treatment of FS: nonsurgical and surgical treatment. As a rule of thumb, the health care professional would advise the least invasive treatment first before they ask for a surgical intervention. For nonsurgical treatment there are chiropractic care and physical therapy, manipulation under anesthesia, as well as pain control using steroid medication.

Chiropractic care is a successful method in easing the frozen shoulder pain. Doctors of Chiropractic use TENS units, Ultraound, Erchonia Cold Laser PL 5000, stretching, educating patients about lifestyle change and diet.  The length of time spent on the chiropractic treatment depends on the severity of the condition. If the pain is more advance it can take months to rehabilitate the shoulder. Chiropractic can limit the devastating effects of all forms of physical disability such as FS. At this point research into its cause remains inconclusive.

As a general rule, prevention is better than cure. With chiropractic care, you can prevent FS even before it sets in. When you start feeling a slight pain in your shoulder area, you can try chiropractic care to avoid the stiffening of the joint that causes extreme pain and immobilization. If prevention is unsuccessful, treating the frozen shoulder with chiropractic care requires the use of modalities, chiropractic adjustmnts and deep tissue massage. This treatment is used to manage the pain, inflammation and increase range of Motion.

In the majority of cases, chiropractic involves few risks and has been proven beneficial in treating a FS syndrome. Reputable chiropractic professionals will assure their patients of the best program to follow in maintaining optimum physical movement and a quality life.