Issue: 11                    

October 2011

Dear Visitor,

Jason Laird MCSP and David Barker MCSP

Back Problems in Schools                                       

The surprising extent of back problems suffered by primary school teachers was revealed earlier this year in a survey by the education union - Voice. It found that:

Children and Backpacks                                   

Tips for Children in Sport/PE Classes              

By warming-up properly you will reduce the risk of injuries such as growth related issues or the usual strains and sprains. The aim of a good warm-up is to gradually prepare the body for exercise. This is done by: 

If injury does occur                                            

Learning to Write = Backpain?                                      

Do you recognise this scenario? Whilst learning to write your child is focusing very intensely on shaping the letters. She bends forwards with her face right down by the table, nose close to the desk. The table is too high for her short body as she is sitting on an ordinary chair that cannot be raised.

As we grow and learn to write we often retain the bent forwards posture, even as adults. Early movement patterns form lifelong habits. In due time the strain will cause neck, shoulder and back pain.

Here are the shocking facts: A study from 2003 shows significant association in 11-14 year old children between flexed (bent forwards) postures and low back pain. Static postures and neck and upper back (between the shoulder blades) pain were also associated. Another study from 2006 found that of 679 11-14 year old children, 27% had neck pain, 18% had upper back pain and 22% had low back pain. That amounts to a whopping 67% with back pain! The three categories were all associated with school furniture features in addition to other contributing factors such as school bag weight, emotional problems etc.

As if that is not bad enough, a Norwegian study from 2009 states that neck, shoulder and upper back pain are common among adolescents and often persist into working life and is quoted saying: 'These results may give potential for preventive efforts at a young age'.

Do we want our children to grow into adults with posture and pain issues? No of course not! Then how do we help them?

• Show your child how to sit upright instead of bending down. She then needs to be reminded often to sit straight with only her head tipped forward in order to look down on the paper. It is of course near impossible for a child to remember by herself how to sit when all the attention is on manoeuvring the illusive pencil!
• Sit your child on a booster seat. The elbow angle needs to be 90 degrees where the lower arm is horizontal and in line with the desk.
• Even better - get an office chair for children that can be raised. As described above - elbow at 90 degrees. You may need to use a lower desk too.
• Make sure your child's child sized office chair is not too deep in the seat making the child unable to sit upright supported by the backrest with her knees bent over the seat edge. This issue is well known to all short people - most seats are very deep and appear to be designed for very tall men and giants.
• Help your child to take frequent breaks and get off the chair at least every 15 minutes to move about for a few minutes. I know this seems disruptive and like a terrible waste of time but the body was not made for sitting still and tensing up - it was made for movement!

My 4 year old daughter uses the coffee table and a small chair - perfect ergonomic conditions for a little person but of course she needs to be reminded time and time again to straighten up...

Remember - even with the best child sized office chair and the best desk in the world your child can sit slumped with bad posture!

Christina 

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