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Category Archives: Spine Care

Is Your Child’s Backpack Weighing Them Down?

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Carrying around a backpack full of books may be great for the mind, but isn’t so great for the spine. Studies have shown that one of the leading causes of back problems in young children is heavy backpacks. For parents, it’s important to be aware of the potential problems that heavy backpacks present. 

Why Carrying a Backpack can Cause Back Pain

Carrying around a heavy backpack day in and day out can distort the curve of the spine, leading to irritation of the joints in the spine and muscle strain as the muscles try to compensate for the distortion. In severe instances, a heavy backpack can even cause stress fractures.

In most cases, the pain caused by carrying a heavy backpack is only temporary and will go away on its own with a little rest. However, if your child’s back pain persists you will want to contact an orthopedic specialist to diagnose and treat the condition.

How to Prevent Back Pain Caused by Heavy Backpacks

One of the best ways to prevent back pain caused by carrying around a heavy backpack is to choose the right backpack. You will want to reduce weight by looking for a backpack made from lightweight material. It’s also important to find a backpack that has thickly padded straps and a padded back. Waist straps are also a good way to distribute some of the backpack’s weight to the hips and reduce the load on the back. Lastly, you may want to consider purchasing a backpack with wheels on it so that your child can pull it behind them rather than having to carry it all the time.

Contact A Spine Care Specialist

If your child is suffering from back pain, a heavy backpack may very well be the cause. Thankfully, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent back pain caused by a heavy backpack. If your child’s back pain persist, though, or if it is severe, please contact our spine care specialists today to schedule an appointment.

Nonoperative Spine Care Treatment Options

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If you’re suffering from chronic back pain, there are a number of options available for relief that don’t require an orthopedic surgeon. Back and neck pain are common complaints for many people. Often these conditions can be treated in minimally invasive ways with different lifestyle changes, acupuncture, medications, or physical therapy. The spine specialists at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists can evaluate your condition and help determine the best course of action for your optimal health and relief from pain.

Nonoperative treatment options provide the first course of action for many conditions. Back pain can be extremely frightening because it limits your mobility and comfort in such an extreme way. Patients sometimes don’t realize the number of options they have in terms of noninvasive treatment.

Nonoperative Spine Treatment Options

There are a number of pain treatment options that can alleviate pain and return you to your normal standard of living in a relatively short time. These often break down into two categories:

  • Physical Therapy
  • Medication

Within these two categories, there are a great many different options and often patients will find relief with a combination of treatments. Some patients may experience good results with a medication in conjunction with lifestyle changes, such as exercise. Often exercise and physical therapy offer patients a long lasting advantage in diminishing recurrences.

Physical Therapy Can Include:

  • Manual Manipulation by a Trained Physical Therapist.
  • Acupuncture.
  • Exercise.
  • The Use of Braces.
  • Massage.
  • Heat and Ice

Medications May Include:

  • Anti-inflammatory Drugs. This is often the first line of defense in any type of pain and can provide some relief for those with minor injury.
  • Steroid Injections. These can offer relief for a prolonged period of time.
  • Stronger Pain Medications. Stronger pain medications can be prescribed for chronic sufferers.
  • Stem Cell Therapy. Stem Cell Therapy offers the cutting edge advancements in regenerative therapy options.
  • Muscle Relaxers. Muscle relaxants can often offer some relief for those with minimal pain while healing takes place.

Depending on your injury, your spine care specialist may recommend a few different options. In some cases, surgical solutions offer the best long term improvement, but many cases will heal over time with proper treatment.

If you’re experiencing mild to severe back pain and would like a consultation with a Jacksonville orthopedic specialist, contact the Southeast Orthopedic Specialists today.

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