HUNDREDS of children across the Swan Hill region started or returned to school this week, making it an important time for parents to help them get into healthy habits for the year ahead.
Dr Josh Cutrell, of Mid Murray Chiropractic, said healthy habits included awareness of posture in class and how children wear backpacks to and from school.
If these small but crucial practices remained unchecked for long enough, he warned they could cause serious health issues, especially when it came to the spine.
The Australian Chiropractors Association has developed a Back to School Health Checklist to advise both children and their parents of the daily habits they should be practising all year round.
Dr Cutrell said copies of the checklist, which also reminds kids to get out and exercise after school and reduce screen time where possible, were available from Mid Murray Chiropractic.
Children were often unaware of the impact on their overall health and wellbeing of common activities such as sitting, carrying a heavy bag or spending too long in front of screens.
“This checklist is a perfect way to encourage and motivate kids to build healthy habits at school and at home,” he said.
“They are simple to incorporate and easily fit into a child’s everyday routine. For instance, packing a healthy lunch, sitting with an upright posture in class and wearing their backpack correctly.
“We are also asking parents if they are concerned about their child’s spine or would like advice on any other back to school related issues, like sizing the backpack, or how to sit properly at their school desks, to consider our chiropractic services.”
More information is available at backtoschool.org.au or from Mid Murray Chiropractic on 5032 9366.
