Going back to school brings with it all sorts of different stresses from packed schedules to dealing with social situations to worrying about back pain. It’s common for students of all ages to suffer from back pain due to their backpacks, their posture, and more. Back-to-school season brings with it less sleep, more stress, and health concerns, both physical and mental. In order to improve your health and avoid back pain, we’ve compiled this list of back-to-school chiropractic tips to help you and your loved ones prioritize your wellness. 

#1. Choose The Right Backpack

Many students suffer from back pain due to either not wearing an ergonomic backpack or wearing their backpack improperly. It’s good to have a backpack that reflects your personality and style, but you want to ensure that it has wide, cushioned straps to help with weight distribution. You may also consider opting for a backpack that straps across your torso, which helps with even weight distribution. Having a backpack that is good for your back is a back-to-school chiropractic necessity. 

#2. Wear Your Backpack Properly

Another important chiropractic tip for those going back to school is to ensure that you’re wearing your backpack properly. You should have both straps over your shoulders, with both at even lengths. The backpack shouldn’t go below your waistline. If it does or if you have a habit of slinging your backpack over a shoulder, rather than wearing it properly, this can lead to spinal misalignments and pain. 

#3. Pack Your Backpack Correctly

Last chiropractic tip about backpacks here: ensure that you’re packing it correctly and being mindful of what goes into it. A backpack should weigh no more than 10-15% of your body weight. If it’s heavier than this, this can cause your body to try to compensate for the extra weight by leaning forward or by shrugging up your shoulders, both of which can lead to misalignment.

You also want to ensure that you’re packing the heavier items closer to your body and the lighter ones further away. If you pack light things close to your body and heavy textbooks further away from it, this impacts your balance and can lead to misalignments as your body tries to stay upright.

#4. Maintain Good Posture

Is it any surprise that one of the chiropractic tips for back-to-school wellness is maintaining good posture? Surprising it may not be, but important, it very much is. Many people brush off the importance of good posture until they start experiencing pain. It can be very easy to slouch and slump when you’re sitting at a desk for hours on end or studying and doing homework. This can cause stress on your back. 

You want to do your best to maintain good posture. This means keeping your feet flat on the ground and your back against your chair. Your shoulders should be back, and your head and neck should be over them. Ideally, books and screens should be at eye level, but this isn’t always possible when studying. Taking breaks to get up and stretch and walk about can help. If your teacher is opposed to students getting up during class, there are chiropractic stretches you can do to help keep everything in alignment. 

It’s common for people to lean too far forward when studying. This puts a lot of strain on your neck and your spine, as your head is quite heavy. You can use a stand that tilts towards you in order to prevent your head from tilting over your shoulders. 

#5. Get Enough Sleep

Easier said than done, right? However, getting enough sleep is among the most important chiropractic back-to-school tips. Sleep is when your body recovers from the day. Not getting enough not only leaves you tired, it also impacts your mental and physical function. This can make it difficult to concentrate and perform well. By setting a set bedtime and reducing screentime 2 hours beforehand, it can be easier to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and hopefully get enough sleep.

It can be especially hard to get enough sleep if you’re in pain. Chiropractic adjustments can help with this. Your chiropractor can help guide you through proper sleep positions and pillows that you can use in order to protect your back while you’re sleeping.

Back-To-School Chiropractic Care In Ogden

Ogden Chiropractic can provide you with the care you or your child needs in order to maintain better health throughout the school year. We can advise you on how to properly wear a backpack, maintain good posture, and sleep strategies to protect your back, as well as offer chiropractic treatments for any pain you may be experiencing. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule an appointment.

Many people only think to see a chiropractor if they have persistent back pain. However, chiropractors can help you with many different conditions. You need not wait until you can barely walk to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors can keep your condition from worsening and provide you with long-lasting relief because they seek to treat the root cause of your condition. You can see a chiropractor for many different reasons because chiropractors are professionals in everything regarding your spine and central nervous system.  

Here are some of the warning signs that you should watch out for that indicate it may be time for you to see a chiropractor. 

#1. You Have Frequent Headaches

Many people don’t think to see a chiropractor for headaches because they don’t know that spinal misalignments can lead to headaches. If your headaches are rare and the result of something like stress or fatigue, then painkillers can help you ride them out. However, if you have persistent headaches, it’s likely that painkillers are just masking the pain and not helping with the root cause.

Spinal misalignments can impede the blood flow to your brain. This limits its supply of both oxygen and blood, resulting in headaches. Thus, if you suffer from frequent headaches, you should see a chiropractor to ensure that a spinal misalignment is not causing them.

#2. You Have Poor Posture

If you work a job that requires you to spend a lot of time sitting down, it’s very easy to end up hunched over. While this may seem comfortable in the moment, over time, this can lead to poor posture. Not only does poor posture cause you to have a less confident stance, it also places undue pressure on your neck, shoulders, and back. This can result in shifting bones and issues such as a slipped disc.

You should see a chiropractor if you work a job like this or if you struggle with poor posture in general. They will be able to help you straighten your posture over time and give you advice and exercises that you can utilize to maintain good posture.

#3. You Have Limited Mobility

If you aren’t as flexible as you used to be, this could simply be because you don’t stretch much. It could also mean that you should see a chiropractor. This is because if you just can’t turn your neck as far or your limbs aren’t as flexible as they once were, you could need to have your joints and bones realigned. 

If movement is painful or your range of motion is limited, a chiropractor can restore your range of motion to normal by adjusting your body back into alignment. When your body is aligned, it is both healthier and easier for you to move.

#4. You Were In An Accident

Accidents can be tricky. Due to the adrenaline flowing through your veins, you may not even realize that you’ve been hurt until days or weeks after the fact. This is why it’s recommended that you seek out medical attention as soon as possible after an accident. You should see a chiropractor within 72 hours of a car accident so that they can detect any misalignments.

A common injury resulting from car accidents is whiplash. For many people, they may not notice symptoms of whiplash until months after the accident. Left untreated, the symptoms can escalate into more serious problems. 

A chiropractor will be able to diagnose any issues following your accident and provide you with the treatment you need in order to return to life as normal.

#5. The Soles Of Your Shoes Wear Out Differently

A surefire sign that your body is out of alignment and that you should see a chiropractor is if you notice uneven wear on the soles of your shoes. This indicates that your body is not balanced and that pressure is not being evenly distributed. Over time, this can worsen and turn into a chronic condition if you do not obtain treatment.

A chiropractor will be able to realign your body and restore balance to it. That way, you’ll be able to walk normally again, and you won’t need to worry about the potential of a chronic condition.

Should You See A Chiropractor?

These are but a few of the many warning signs that you should see a chiropractor. Ogden Chiropractic offers professional chiropractic care for many different conditions from back pain to whiplash to pinched nerves and more. Contact us today to either learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment.

If you’re suffering from a pinched nerve, you’re likely in pain and are having your body function restricted. Pinched nerves, also known as compressed nerves, are incredibly common, affecting about 85 in 100,000 people in the United States. Fortunately, if you have a compressed nerve, this can usually be resolved with non-invasive treatment methods, such as chiropractic care. 

Here is what you need to know about pinched nerves and how chiropractic care can help.

What Is A Pinched Nerve?

If your nerve gets pinched, this means that it’s being compressed by surrounding tissues or a herniated disc. When your nerve gets compressed, this can cause pain, tingling, and numbness that radiates out from the affected area. It’s most common for nerves to get pinched in your neck or back, but as you have nerves all over your body, a compressed nerve can happen anywhere. 

Pinched nerves are typically treatable with rest, over-the-counter medication, physical therapy, and chiropractic care. In rare cases where the pinched nerve has been ignored, permanent nerve damage can occur, and you may need surgery. However, most people can recover fully from a compressed nerve with proper care, no invasive procedures needed. 

They can go away within a few days or weeks. If symptoms do not improve with home treatment after a few days, you’ll want to see a professional like a chiropractor or a doctor for more guidance. Left untreated, pinched nerves can cause serious problems, so it’s important to treat them sooner rather than later. 

Symptoms Of Pinched Nerves

No matter where they are in the body, compressed nerves usually have similar symptoms. Some of the signs and symptoms include:

• Pain that can radiate outward from the affected nerve
• Numbness
• Tingling/a pins and needles sensation
• Muscle weakness
• Feeling like that area of your body has fallen asleep

Symptoms can worsen as you sleep, depending on your sleep position. While symptoms can improve and go away with home treatment, if they do not respond to self-care measures, you should seek professional treatment.

What Causes A Pinched Nerve?

As previously mentioned, these happen when your nerve gets compressed by the tissues surrounding it, whether they are bone, cartilage, muscle, herniated discs, or something else.

Many different things can cause compressed nerves, such as:

• Repetitive motions
• Injuries
• Sports 
• Arthritis
• Obesity
• Prolonged periods of time in bed
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Bone spurs
• And more

Essentially, whenever pressure is put on your nerve, this can pinch it. As such, many different conditions can cause pinched nerves or increase your likelihood of getting one.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help With A Pinched Nerve?

Chiropractors are experts when it comes to your musculoskeletal system and how it impacts your nervous system. Many pinched nerves result from misalignments, making chiropractors excellent people to see if you suffer from one, as they specialize in keeping your musculoskeletal system in alignment. When something compresses your nerve, this interferes with how it communicates with the rest of your body. Through adjustment, chiropractors can alleviate the pressure on your nerves, restoring your function and relieving your pain. 

Chiropractors can help with compressed nerves in a variety of ways. They can diagnose the issue by conducting a thorough evaluation and inquiring about your symptoms and history. Once they understand what nerves are impacted, they can formulate a personalized treatment plan. By uncovering the root cause, you can find long-term relief, rather than just masking the pain. 

Some of the ways chiropractors treat pinched nerves include:

• Adjustments
• Exercises that stretch and strengthen the area around the nerve, alleviating pressure
• Advice for lifestyle changes, such as improving your posture

Chiropractors provide natural, non-invasive treatment that can help you recover fully from your pinched nerve.

How To Prevent Pinched Nerves

Fortunately, there are ways you can prevent nerves from getting pinched. Some of the ways you can avoid this nerve pain include:

• Maintaining good posture
• Getting enough sleep
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Stretching in order to keep your muscles flexible
• Not sitting or staying in one position for too long
• Taking breaks from repetitive tasks

Some pinched nerves can’t be prevented, such as if they’re the result of an injury. However, you can lower your risk of suffering from one by utilizing the above prevention methods.

Do You Have A Pinched Nerve?

Ogden Chiropractic provides expert chiropractic care that can help you find relief and recover from your pinched nerve. If you suspect you have a compressed nerve, contact us to schedule an evaluation today!