How many of you have experienced the heartbreak of having your little one cry at bedtime with what seems to be indescribable pains in her/his legs?
You have probably tried all the standard parent remedies: wet towels, walking, reading to your child, cuddling, massaging the legs, all to no avail. The pain still persists. Eventually, your child finally falls asleep out of sheer fatigue and you simply dread this same event occurring tomorrow. Your heartstrings and nerves have had it! Finally, out of pure frustration, you seek professional help only to be told that “it’s simply growing pains” and that your child will eventually “grow out of it.” You can’t wait.
Worried parents often hear such comments. You have probably been told that your child’s legs hurt because the bones, ligaments, muscles, etc., are growing and therefore “stretching,” so it is perfectly normal that they should hurt. This has traditionally been explained away as a normal part of childhood. Does this sound all too familiar?
Many concerned parents believe this theory, for on the surface it seems sound. When you really think about it, however, those explanations simply do not make any sense. After all, when did it ever hurt to grow? And why only the legs? Don’t the arms, the nose, the fingers and other body parts also grow? Why don’t they hurt?
The vast majority of children with “growing pains” are in the very active, physical years. The sudden bumps, jolts, and stresses of vigorous play often produce vertebral subluxations (misalignments) of some of the spinal bones. These vertebral subluxations affect the way nerves control the function of your child’s legs and knees. In adults, this is called sciatica: pain in the leg.
Many parents are surprised to learn that most of the problems I see in adults can be traced to some childhood incident, which caused a vertebral subluxation. Consider this: those of you who are bothered by low back and/or leg pain today (as adults), most likely also experienced “growing pains” when you were little. You may not realize that having your subluxations corrected when you were a child, may very well have eliminated the difficulties you are experiencing now!
If your child is experiencing pain in the legs, or “restless legs,” a visit to a chiropractor with pediatric experience should be a priority.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
BACKPACKS…YOUR CHILD’S SPINE AT RISK
Today 40 million teenagers carry a backpack to school. More and more doctors are seeing children for back pain and injuries and now that children are back in school, thousands of elementary, secondary and high school students are heading to their classes with overstuffed backpacks slung over their shoulders. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates more than 3,300 children age 5-14 were treated last year in the ER for book bag injuries. “It typically puts them off balance and gives them a posture that promotes low back pain,” said Dr. Wayne Yankus of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on School Health.
While carrying a backpack to school every morning may seem harmless enough, it can cause painful back and neck problems and injuries for students who don’t pack or carry their backpacks properly. It can also lead to long-term medical problems and injuries to the spine that may last a lifetime.
Recently scientists have discovered that carrying heavy backpacks may pose a serious threat to your child’s future spine development. The scientists state the average backpack represented 17% of the child’s body weight. This would explain why 67.2% of the children suffered muscle soreness, 50.8% suffered back pain, 24.5% suffered numbness, and 14.7% suffered shoulder pain. Medical professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 15% of their body weight on their backs. A child weighing:
50 lbs. should only carry 2.5 – 5 lbs.
80 lbs. should only carry 4 – 8 lbs.
100 lbs. should only carry 5 – 10 lbs.
130 lbs. should only carry 6.5 – 12 lbs.
150 lbs. should only carry 7.5 – 15 lbs.
(Source: American Chiropractic Association)
If your child does use backpacks to carry books there are things that you can do to reduce the physical stress associated with carrying backpacks.
1.Make sure that the weight of the book bag does not exceed more than 10% of the child’s total body weight. This is especially important for children in grades 1-4.
2.Avoid using backpacks or athletic bags that have one strap.
3.Ensure that children wear both straps on their shoulders to distribute weight evenly.
4.Have your child examined regularly by a chiropractor so that any potential spinal or postural problems can be addressed and corrected.
5.Use a book bag on wheels or an air cushion book bag (www.airpacks.com) if possible.
If children are having headaches, neck pain, bad posture, achy and strained muscles, low back pain, muscle spasms, tingling hands, and increases scoliosis complications, they are carrying too much weight improperly.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
While carrying a backpack to school every morning may seem harmless enough, it can cause painful back and neck problems and injuries for students who don’t pack or carry their backpacks properly. It can also lead to long-term medical problems and injuries to the spine that may last a lifetime.
Recently scientists have discovered that carrying heavy backpacks may pose a serious threat to your child’s future spine development. The scientists state the average backpack represented 17% of the child’s body weight. This would explain why 67.2% of the children suffered muscle soreness, 50.8% suffered back pain, 24.5% suffered numbness, and 14.7% suffered shoulder pain. Medical professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 15% of their body weight on their backs. A child weighing:
50 lbs. should only carry 2.5 – 5 lbs.
80 lbs. should only carry 4 – 8 lbs.
100 lbs. should only carry 5 – 10 lbs.
130 lbs. should only carry 6.5 – 12 lbs.
150 lbs. should only carry 7.5 – 15 lbs.
(Source: American Chiropractic Association)
If your child does use backpacks to carry books there are things that you can do to reduce the physical stress associated with carrying backpacks.
1.Make sure that the weight of the book bag does not exceed more than 10% of the child’s total body weight. This is especially important for children in grades 1-4.
2.Avoid using backpacks or athletic bags that have one strap.
3.Ensure that children wear both straps on their shoulders to distribute weight evenly.
4.Have your child examined regularly by a chiropractor so that any potential spinal or postural problems can be addressed and corrected.
5.Use a book bag on wheels or an air cushion book bag (www.airpacks.com) if possible.
If children are having headaches, neck pain, bad posture, achy and strained muscles, low back pain, muscle spasms, tingling hands, and increases scoliosis complications, they are carrying too much weight improperly.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Preventing Sports Injuries In Kids
The role of the Chiropractor is crucial in preventing sports injuries in children. Prior to any sports involvement, the child should undergo a Pre-Participation Evaluation (PPE). The PPE consists of a routine medical history and physical examination with emphasis on a neuromusculoskeletal evaluation, all of which are helpful in determining the readiness factor of the child for the sport in question. This “Toes to Nose” examination includes a postural and chiropractic examinations. It has been my experience that discovering poor posture, muscle imbalances, and nerve interference will reduce chances for injury if corrected.
As the child begins sports participation, Dr. Lachuta can offer guidelines on exercise, conditioning and stretching techniques, nutrition and general fitness. Of course, when treatment is needed, Dr. Lachuta is fully equipped to manage non-surgical treatment of typical sports injuries. The treatment of sports injuries has been a basic approach in chiropractic since it’s beginning because your child’s nerve, muscle, bone alignment, and their performance are one in the same. Dr. Lachuta is able to recognize certain injuries because of his extensive athletic background. Dr. Lachuta will make a referral to the appropriate specialist if he is unable to help your child.
Although parents may not be able to soften the blow from an athletic injury they can minimize serious injury by taking some basic preventative measures:
1.Determine the child's physical maturation level and match the child's size with an appropriate sport. Most competitive children's sports are organized according to chronological age rather than physical skill or maturation. Slower maturing children are often at greater risk of injury because they are competing with peers who may be larger and physically more developed.
2.Have your child be examined from “Toes to Nose.” This examination is important because it will detect imbalance, poor posture and nerve interference that once corrected will reduce chance of injury and increase performance.
3.Seek professional advice. Given the fact that children will get hurt in play, it is critical that parents use good judgment in treating complaints about pain. What may act like a simple sprain may actually be a growth plate injury, which is very common in youth sports, that demands professional diagnosis on the extent of the injury and how to proceed with treatment.
4.Check to see if your child's organized athletic team has a chiropractor (skilled in the handling of sports injuries) affiliated with it. If not, ask your child’s coach how Dr. Lachuta can become your son/daughter’s team chiropractor.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
As the child begins sports participation, Dr. Lachuta can offer guidelines on exercise, conditioning and stretching techniques, nutrition and general fitness. Of course, when treatment is needed, Dr. Lachuta is fully equipped to manage non-surgical treatment of typical sports injuries. The treatment of sports injuries has been a basic approach in chiropractic since it’s beginning because your child’s nerve, muscle, bone alignment, and their performance are one in the same. Dr. Lachuta is able to recognize certain injuries because of his extensive athletic background. Dr. Lachuta will make a referral to the appropriate specialist if he is unable to help your child.
Although parents may not be able to soften the blow from an athletic injury they can minimize serious injury by taking some basic preventative measures:
1.Determine the child's physical maturation level and match the child's size with an appropriate sport. Most competitive children's sports are organized according to chronological age rather than physical skill or maturation. Slower maturing children are often at greater risk of injury because they are competing with peers who may be larger and physically more developed.
2.Have your child be examined from “Toes to Nose.” This examination is important because it will detect imbalance, poor posture and nerve interference that once corrected will reduce chance of injury and increase performance.
3.Seek professional advice. Given the fact that children will get hurt in play, it is critical that parents use good judgment in treating complaints about pain. What may act like a simple sprain may actually be a growth plate injury, which is very common in youth sports, that demands professional diagnosis on the extent of the injury and how to proceed with treatment.
4.Check to see if your child's organized athletic team has a chiropractor (skilled in the handling of sports injuries) affiliated with it. If not, ask your child’s coach how Dr. Lachuta can become your son/daughter’s team chiropractor.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Preventing Sports Injuries In Kids
The role of the Chiropractor is crucial in preventing sports injuries in children. Prior to any sports involvement, the child should undergo a Pre-Participation Evaluation (PPE). The PPE consists of a routine medical history and physical examination with emphasis on a neuromusculoskeletal evaluation, all of which are helpful in determining the readiness factor of the child for the sport in question. This “Toes to Nose” examination includes a postural and chiropractic examinations. It has been my experience that discovering poor posture, muscle imbalances, and nerve interference will reduce chances for injury if corrected.
As the child begins sports participation, Dr. Lachuta can offer guidelines on exercise, conditioning and stretching techniques, nutrition and general fitness. Of course, when treatment is needed, Dr. Lachuta is fully equipped to manage non-surgical treatment of typical sports injuries. The treatment of sports injuries has been a basic approach in chiropractic since it’s beginning because your child’s nerve, muscle, bone alignment, and their performance are one in the same. Dr. Lachuta is able to recognize certain injuries because of his extensive athletic background. Dr. Lachuta will make a referral to the appropriate specialist if he is unable to help your child.
Although parents may not be able to soften the blow from an athletic injury they can minimize serious injury by taking some basic preventative measures:
1.Determine the child's physical maturation level and match the child's size with an appropriate sport. Most competitive children's sports are organized according to chronological age rather than physical skill or maturation. Slower maturing children are often at greater risk of injury because they are competing with peers who may be larger and physically more developed.
2.Have your child be examined from “Toes to Nose.” This examination is important because it will detect imbalance, poor posture and nerve interference that once corrected will reduce chance of injury and increase performance.
3.Seek professional advice. Given the fact that children will get hurt in play, it is critical that parents use good judgment in treating complaints about pain. What may act like a simple sprain may actually be a growth plate injury, which is very common in youth sports, that demands professional diagnosis on the extent of the injury and how to proceed with treatment.
4.Check to see if your child's organized athletic team has a chiropractor (skilled in the handling of sports injuries) affiliated with it. If not, ask your child’s coach how Dr. Lachuta can become your son/daughter’s team chiropractor.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
As the child begins sports participation, Dr. Lachuta can offer guidelines on exercise, conditioning and stretching techniques, nutrition and general fitness. Of course, when treatment is needed, Dr. Lachuta is fully equipped to manage non-surgical treatment of typical sports injuries. The treatment of sports injuries has been a basic approach in chiropractic since it’s beginning because your child’s nerve, muscle, bone alignment, and their performance are one in the same. Dr. Lachuta is able to recognize certain injuries because of his extensive athletic background. Dr. Lachuta will make a referral to the appropriate specialist if he is unable to help your child.
Although parents may not be able to soften the blow from an athletic injury they can minimize serious injury by taking some basic preventative measures:
1.Determine the child's physical maturation level and match the child's size with an appropriate sport. Most competitive children's sports are organized according to chronological age rather than physical skill or maturation. Slower maturing children are often at greater risk of injury because they are competing with peers who may be larger and physically more developed.
2.Have your child be examined from “Toes to Nose.” This examination is important because it will detect imbalance, poor posture and nerve interference that once corrected will reduce chance of injury and increase performance.
3.Seek professional advice. Given the fact that children will get hurt in play, it is critical that parents use good judgment in treating complaints about pain. What may act like a simple sprain may actually be a growth plate injury, which is very common in youth sports, that demands professional diagnosis on the extent of the injury and how to proceed with treatment.
4.Check to see if your child's organized athletic team has a chiropractor (skilled in the handling of sports injuries) affiliated with it. If not, ask your child’s coach how Dr. Lachuta can become your son/daughter’s team chiropractor.
For additional information, please call Northgate Chiropractic at
(206) 367-2224.
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