INJURY CAUSES KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS PROTECT YOUR SHOULDERS What you need to know, to prevent a serious injury...
All of us experience occasional aches and pains from doing too much, which does not necessarily mean a chronic problem is emerging. However, when those pains don’t go away, or when the uncomfortable feelings have certain characteristics, it’s important not to ignore them, and seek help. If you keep experiencing shoulder clicking or “popping,” for example, you may have a ligament tear in your shoulder area. Sharp pain should also be checked out with your physical therapist, as this means the shoulder joint is not moving in good alignment. There are also more easily-ignored symptoms, like a dull pain that runs along the side of your arm, or sudden arm weakness whenever you try to carry something or reach for an object. These symptoms, you should definitely not ignore.
Many shoulder injuries result from tasks requiring heavy lifting or repetitive reaching motions. Along with manual labor jobs, work around the house such as cleaning gutters or hanging up wet clothes are common culprits. In addition, athletic pursuits like weightlifting, swimming, and tennis can unfortunately lead to shoulder injuries. Along with these activities, passive movements can also be a problem. If you have continuous poor posture, the improper positioning of your shoulders, can make you extra vulnerable to scapula (shoulder blade) and rotator cuff injuries.
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Special Thanks to Those Below Who Gave the Gift of Health, by Referring a Friend or Family Member 1. Diane Krebs 2. Deb Davis 3. Linda Goble 4. Sharon Dobis
IS YOUR CHILD’S BACK PACK GOING TO CAUSE INJURY?
Finding a Safe Pack Despite their potential problems, backpacks are great when used properly. Before you buy one, though, consider a backpack’s construction. Look for the following to choose the right backpack: • Lightweight pack: get one that doesn’t add a lot of weight to your child’s load; for example, leather packs look cool, but they weigh more than canvas backpacks • Two wide, padded shoulder straps: straps that are too narrow can dig into shoulders • Padded back: it not only provides increased comfort, but also protects kids from being poked by sharp objects or edges (pencils, rulers, notebooks, etc.) inside the pack • Waist belt: this helps to distribute the weight more evenly across the body • Multiple compartments: to help distribute the weight throughout the pack Although packs on wheels (which look like small, overhead luggage bags) may be good options for students who have to lug around really heavy
loads, they’re very hard to pull up stairs and to roll through snow. Check with the school before buying a rolling pack; many don’t allow them because they can be a tripping hazard in the hallways. Using Backpacks Wisely To help kids prevent injury when using a backpack: • Lighten the load. No matter how well- designed the backpack, less wate is always better. Use the bathroom scale to check that a pack isn’t over 10% to 15% of your child’s body weight (for example, the backpack of a child who weighs 80 pounds shouldn’t weigh more than 8 to 12 pounds). • Use and pick up the backpack properly. Make sure kids use both shoulder straps. Bags that are slung over the shoulder or across the chest — or that only have one strap — aren’t as effective at distributing the weight as bags with two wide shoulder straps, and therefore may strain muscles. Also tighten the straps enough for the backpack to fit closely to the
body. The pack should rest evenly in the middle of the back and not sag down to the buttocks. You may need to adjust your kids’ backpacks and/or reduce how much they carry if they : • Struggle to get the backpack on or off • Have back pain • Lean forward to carry the backpack If your child has back pain or numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist.
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