Back To School Health Tips

by Dr. Brett L. Lukert, DC

As summer is winding down and school is just around the corner, I thought this would be a good time to discuss back to school health tips that will help keep our students and athletes healthy. Three areas that apply to all students and athletes are choosing/wearing backpacks correctly, forming a healthy daily routine that includes adequate rest and breakfast, and encouraging our athletes to prepare their bodies for practice in order to withstand the conditioning and heat without injury.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that over 21,000 injuries in the emergency room and doctor’s office are due to injuries related to backpacks. Backpack safety is a growing concern in the last few years, mainly because we do not know how to correctly choose the appropriate backpack, and then we usually do not wear them correctly. When choosing a backpack, make sure it is lightweight, has wide padded shoulder straps, has a waist strap, has multiple compartments, and has a padded back. When fitting the backpack, make sure the pack fits between the shoulder blades and the waist, and remember to use both straps so that the weight is equally distributed. Most importantly, do not let the weight of the backpack exceed 15% of the child’s weight. Parents, if you notice your child hunching forward to support the weight of the backpack, it is overloaded, and should be addressed accordingly.

One of the hardest things for kids about starting back to school is getting in a routine. As long as kids are going to be in a routine, they might as well be in a healthy one. This includes getting a good night’s rest (7-9 hours) and eating breakfast daily. It has been proven that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities, and tend to eat healthier overall. Since breakfast is the first meal of day, it has usually been 10-12 hours since the previous meal. We need to use this first meal to refuel. People who skip breakfast actually eat more calories throughout the day than those who don’t.

As for those students also competing in athletics, it is important to minimize the chances of injury, especially when training in the intense heat. It is normal to have some initial aches and pains when starting practice because the body is not in game shape yet. However, by staying adequately hydrated throughout the day, and showing up to practice early to thoroughly stretch and warm up are two excellent ways that our athletes can be proactive in their daily preparation.

Good luck to all students and athletes on the upcoming year and remember to be healthy, live healthy, and stay healthy.