Key Points

Choosing the right backpack and wearing it correctly is key to prevent back pain and support a healthy spine.

Regular chiropractic care can support students’ academic and athletic performance, as well as physical and mental health.

Children from elementary school age to high school age can receive chiropractic care, and the chiropractor will always adjust to their needs and comfort level.

A LOT is asked of our students today. They participate in multiple classes and after-school activities, compete in school sports, and many spend hours studying, staring at books or screens. They lug around heavy backpacks filled with textbooks, notebooks, and other study materials. Due to safety concerns, some students don’t even have access to lockers anymore, so they must carry everything they need for the day in their backpacks. Not to mention the mental and emotional stress students of all ages face at school over academic performance, peer pressure, and the comparison trap of social media. It’s a whole different world compared to students even five or ten years ago. This is why it’s more important than ever that students have access to multiple forms of healthcare, including chiropractic care. In this blog, we’ll dive into how chiropractic care can support students physically and mentally as they head back to school in 2024. 

5 Ways Chiropractic Care Can Support Student Success

Chiropractic adjustment isn’t just about physically realigning the spine. There are physical, mental, and even emotional benefits from receiving regular chiropractic care that can make a difference in students’ lives inside and outside of the classroom. 

1. Realign the Spine for Back Pain and Tension

• Of course, the main benefit of chiropractic care is adjusting the spine for better mobility, pain relief, and tension relief. For students who spend many hours of the day sitting at a desk, hunched over their books (or phones) and taking notes, it’s important to realign the spine periodically and prevent pain and injury. The earlier students start with regular chiropractic care, the more they can prevent common issues that plague many adults, like lower back pain. 

2. Chiropractic Care for ADHD

• Research shows that chiropractic care is beneficial for children with ADHD, in addition to or without medication. For students of elementary age through high school diagnosed with ADHD, regular chiropractic care can support better learning and behavioral outcomes. We can infer these positive benefits come from relieving stress on the body, lowering inflammation, and supporting a healthy, regulated nervous system. 

3. Chiropractic Care for Stress Relief & Mental Health

• Students today are more stressed than ever. Chiropractic care can support student mental health and relieve both physical and emotional stress by restoring a sense of safety and alignment to the body. If your child suffers from mental health issues, it’s worth considering chiropractic care alongside healthy diet and lifestyle choices before resorting to medications such as SSRIs. 

4. Teach Students Good Posture and Everyday Stretches

• A good chiropractor not only treats their patient but also teaches them how to prevent further pain and injury in everyday life. We can educate students how to sit properly at their desk and teach them stretches to counteract stiff muscles that are bound to happen after being in school for 7-8 hours a day. These exercises are essential for the ongoing maintenance of a healthy spine, joints, ligaments, and other structural components of the body. 

How to sit at a desk for the best alignment:

1. Sit up straight
2. Keep your feet flat on the floor (not crossed)
3. Shoulders back
4. Head centered over top of the neck
5. Neck centered over top of the shoulders
6. Keep books or tablets at eye level if possible

5. Injury Prevention and Healing for Student Athletes

• Many students participate in sports inside and outside of school, and having access to chiropractic care can mean the difference between preventing an injury and sitting out for the season. Help your child reach their athletic potential and have the best access to preventative and post-injury treatment with chiropractic care. 

Choose the Right Backpack Before Back to School

These days, students spend more time with a backpack on their back and they tend to carry around more stuff with them, so it’s important to choose the right backpack for spine health. 

Backpacks should be sized appropriately for the child, most importantly not oversized. Make sure the straps are tight and the backpack is secured close to the back, not hanging down or pulling towards the low back (which will cause pain and misalignment in the spine over time). Students should not carry more than ten percent of their body weight in their backpack. Keep heavier books closer to the back and lighter items in the outer sections of the backpack. 

Encourage students to wear the backpack with both straps instead of only one strap putting excess weight on one shoulder. We always want to encourage an even weight distribution across the back and shoulders to prevent misalignment and pain. 

All of this said, even students who carry heavy backpacks properly could use ongoing chiropractic adjustments to keep the spine in good condition and relieve pressure between the vertebrae that could cause issues in the future. 

Ongoing Chiro Care Can Make a Big Difference in Students’ Lives

More responsibility and expectations put on students today requires greater support and routine care for their physical and mental health. Chiropractic care can make a real difference in students’ lives, not only for their academic and athletic performance but for their health and happiness too. 

See how chiropractic care can support your child’s health and get their school year started right. 

Let Us Help Your Student Reach Their Full Potential This Year

Interested in chiropractic care for students in the Greenville, SC and Greer, SC communities? We’re happy to help at Simply Southern Chiropractic Center. We have experience adjusting young children through high school-age teens, supporting everything from mental health to athletic performance. We always adjust to the child’s comfort level and explain the adjustment so that they feel comfortable and confident in our treatment room. 

Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment and get your child off to a great start for the school year. 

Teachers deserve a healthy spine too! Read our blog all about chiropractic care for teachers.

References

Muir J. M. (2012). Chiropractic management of a patient with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 11(3), 221–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2011.10.009

Alcantara, J., & Davis, J. (2010). The chiropractic care of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a retrospective case series. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 6(3), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2010.02.001

Alcantara, J., Ohm, J., & Kunz, D. (2009). The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 5(5), 290–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2009.06.002

Hawk, C., Schneider, M. J., Vallone, S., & Hewitt, E. G. (2016). Best Practices for Chiropractic Care of Children: A Consensus Update. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 39(3), 158–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.02.015