Getting Back to Health Keep Your Kids’ Spinal Health in Line With These Backpack Safety Tips
With books, laptops, calculators, markers, pencils, rulers, glue, and even lunch packs, children are carrying a lot of items to and from school every day. But according to researchers, carrying 10 pounds on your back adds 70 pounds of force onto your spine. Think about the strain this puts on your 10-year-old or your high schooler! Instead, researchers recommend students carry about 10% of their body weight on their backs. So, your 100-pound 10-year-old should have a backpack that weighs no more than 10 pounds.
Throughout the school year, monitor your child for symptoms of back pain or stress. If their shoulders are hunched or they complain about neck and shoulder pain, their backpack may be putting too much strain on their spine. You can also test this by asking them to stand with their head, shoulders, and buttocks touching the wall. If the space between their neck and lower back and the wall is more than two inches, they may have a posture issue. In addition to dropping the weight they carry on their back, a wellness expert can offer your child relief from this pain. At Stretch Physical Therapy and Total Wellness, we can examine the condition their spine and can offer guided exercises and regimens to strengthen your child’s back and shoulders. We can also teach your child safer ways to carry their backpack to avoid this pain from cropping up in the future. Don’t let your child slog through another school year with an overloaded backpack. Our experts can get your child back to feeling energized and pain-free! Learn more by calling 513-874-8800 or visit StretchPhysicalTherapy.com.
In addition, the backpack your child is using to lug around their books and supplies should be well- equipped to carry their items. Choose backpacks with two padded straps, and consider bags with waist straps to transfer some of the weight to their hips. Bags with many pockets can offer an even distribution of items, but it’s vital that the bag is the correct size for each child. A bag that is too large allows your child to stuff more junk in there and will only contribute to the higher weight issue.
HAVE A LAUGH! Chicken Shawarma
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern method of preparing meat. Normally made using massive rotisseries, this make-at-home version only requires an oven and some marinade.
Ingredients
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2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
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2 tsp paprika
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp fresh parsley, for garnish
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp cumin
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, 1/2 cup oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Whisk together, then marinate chicken in mixture and cover and refrigerate for 1–12 hours. 2. Heat oven to 425 F. Place onion in chicken marinade, tossing to coat. Spread onion and chicken on a baking sheet lined with the remaining olive oil. 3. Roast for 30–40 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit for 2 minutes, and slice chicken into bite- sized pieces. 4. Garnish with parsley and serve. 513-874-8800 Inspired by The New York Times
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