Spinal pain

Save their spines for a pain-free future

With kids of all ages spending more time hunched over electronic devices and moving less, it is little
surprise that back pain, headaches and migraines are increasingly common in children. This month, Apex Clinic founder and spinal and headache physiotherapy specialist, Rebecca Nelson, offers useful tips on how to look after your child’s spine to help them avoid pain or headaches in the future.

Don’t let your child’s backpack weigh them down

Encourage your child to opt for function before fashion when choosing a schoolbag. Backpacks with two straps ensure that weight is distributed evenly across the shoulders, whereas single-strap bags tend to pull the spine to one side and will cause spinal asymmetry and pain. A general rule of thumb is that a loaded backpack should never weigh more than 15% of a child’s total body weight.

Posture, posture, posture!

Sitting cross-legged is very bad for young spines and should be strongly discouraged at all times. Sitting in this position encourages the spine to go in to a ‘c’ shape or a slumped position, which puts a high load on spinal
discs, making the back more vulnerable to injury.

Game on: keep their spines healthy when they’re gaming

When children are gaming or texting, encourage them to sit with a cushion behind their lower backs so that their trunk is at an approximate 30-40 degree angle backwards from the vertical position. Long hours slumped in a forward position will lead to pain over time.

The right pillow is important

From the age of 7 or 8, children should use a reasonably firm supportive pillow to provide optimal support for their growing spines. The Apex Sleepwell Pillow range, available online and in our Belfast clinic, includes orthopaedic pillows specially tailored to fit all builds, including teens and young children.

Childhood headaches or migraines can be debilitating

Painful headaches or migraines triggered from the neck are very common in children and can affect the quality of the child’s life. At Apex Headache Clinic, we ensure our patients receive the correct, safe treatment to the upper neck area to clear headaches or migraines and allow them to get on with their lives pain-free.

Assess and treat back pain early to avoid pain in the future

Early assessment and treatment of pain nearly always results in a quicker resolution of the problem. Just hoping our children will ‘grow out’ of spinal pain or headaches/ migraines is never a good idea as longer term pain will be slower to clear. If your child suffers from neck pain or back pain for more than a week or two we recommend assessment by one of our experienced physiotherapists.

Remember, pain-free children make for happy parents. Look after your child’s spinal health today and they will thank you in the future.