Back to School Adds New Stress to a Childs Spine and Health 

Going back to school usually coincides with annual checkups and physical health measurements. One of those check-ups usually includes a yearly physical exam from a pediatrician or family doctor. Doctors will advise on issues like diet, exercise, and vision in addition to monitoring the heart, blood pressure, and testing for diabetes. Student-athletes also undergo yearly physicals as a mandatory step in being cleared to practice and play in most states. 

Taking a child in for a yearly physical serves as a very similar reason that health conscious parents take their children to a chiropractor for a back to school spine and nervous system evaluation. Some parents do not yet understand the lifelong value of a spinal exam for a child or teen. The importance of spinal care for long term health cannot be measured and chiropractors pursue the mission of educating all people about proactive long-term health care.

A new shift towards preventative care encourages many parents to visit chiropractic offices for family checkups. The health of the spine intimately connects to the function of the brain and nervous system. Science and research continue to discover and unpack the importance of spinal alignment and movement on overall health, growth, focus and development for all ages. Misaligned or immovable sections of the spine negatively influence the central nervous system, setting off a cascade of hormones that lead to unwanted symptoms and conditions. 

Research done by medical doctors and published in peer-reviewed literature continues to reveal the influence of posture on overall health and well-being. One well known study evaluated posture using x-rays and plumb-line measurements. Every patient in the study listed specific symptoms or ailments they were suffering from that correlated with increased deviations in their spine and posture. Abnormal measures of blood pressure, pulse, and respiration were recorded. Research determined that every recorded aspect of health got worse as the posture deviations (shifts in posture) increased.

Abnormal spinal posture, misalignments and altered vertebral movement occur like tooth cavities without back or neck pain-type symptoms. The relationship between the spine and nervous system result in spinal abnormalities that alter the entire health function of a child or adult. The host of unhealthy outcomes and symptoms include less focus, less concentration, less energy, interference with immunity and digestion, and more. The spine intimately connects to the nervous system and interference limits health potential.

Annual health checkups and physicals serve a purpose of protecting and providing support for children engaged in periods of tremendous growth physically, mentally, and emotionally. Every child deserves an opportunity to experience optimized health and function. A return to school marks an annual rite of passage to a new year of growth. Let this year be a year of proactive health by scheduling a nervous system check-up with the family chiropractor.

Spine (Philadelphia PA 1976) September 15th 2005
“The impact of positive sagittal balance in adult spinal deformity.” Steven D Glassman, Keith Bridwell, John R Dimar, William Horton, Sigurd Berven, Frank Schwab