School bags are an essential aspect of the back-to-school process. Children will carry their bag the whole year, but the right – or wrong – backpack can have a much longer effect on your child’s health. Back pain is common in Australian children, particularly during adolescence. A heavy backpack increases the risk of poor posture and possible injury. 
What to look for in a backpackThere are so many different styles of school bags available to purchase that it can become difficult to choose the right one. The style found to best suit children entering school and returning to primary school is an ergonomic backpack. Below are features that you should look for when purchasing a new bag.

• Make sure the backpack is the right size – it should be no wider than the child’s chest and no higher than 3 cm above their shoulders – they should be able to look up to the ceiling without their head hitting the bag.
• A moulded frame which conforms to your child’s back when adjusted correctly
• Two wide, adjustable shoulder straps with padding for extra comfort – Wearing a bag with only one should strap curves the spine unnaturally, putting stress on the whole body.
• An adjustable hip or sternum strap
• Separate compartments that allow packing ease
• One made from canvas or other light-weight material

How to wear a backpackIdeally, a school bag should weigh less than 10 per cent of the child’s body weight. For instance a child weighing 40kg should carry 2-3kg, and 4kg at the very most.

• Both shoulder straps and should always been used to distribute the weight evenly on the child’s back. Waist straps also help.
• Don’t wear the backpack below the small of the back. The shoulder straps should be adjusted so that the bottom of the bag sits around the child’s waist – trace a line from their belly button around to their back, the bottom of the bag should sit around there.
• The bag should not hang out from the shoulders – it should contour to your child’s back – and should not swing from side to side when your child is moving around.

To ensure your child actually does wear the bag correctly when you aren’t there, explain to them that it can cause serious injury to their spine, shoulders, and neck if they don’t wear it right. It is only the best school bag if it’s used the right way. Regularly check with them to see if the bag is comfortable, or if they are in any kind of pain.
Take the time to teach your child how to wear their backpack correctly, if unsure speak with your local osteopath.
“Carrying a backpack and sitting at desks all day can cause some stiffness in the back, neck and shoulders,” says Dr Patricia Thomas (osteopath).
“Encourage your kids to, where safe to do so, remove their shoes and play outside for a while when they get home. This will loosen and relieve their bodies and boost their energy after a long day of sitting postures at school, and after carrying heavy bags.
When inside, urge them to avoid chair postures or slouching on sofas, and instead allow them to adopt natural rest postures on the floor.”
Teach your kids to do a few slow gentle stretches whenever it is convenient.
Simple stretches for home:Shoulder shrugInhale and shrug your shoulders up to your ears. Hold then release and drop. Repeat three times. 
Arm circlesWhile standing, stretch your arms out to the side. Slowly circle your arms forward for five rotations. Stop and circle your arms backwards for five rotations.
Torso twistStand with your arms loosely by your side and turn your torso to the right. Let your left heel come off the ground as you twist. Repeat for the left side, letting your right heel come off the ground as you twist. Repeat several times on both sides.

[original article published by Osteopathy Australia at ​https://goo.gl/RyJsjD]

​What is Osteopathy? How does an osteopath think?

When I saw this amazing picture of a tree sculpture demonstrating the hidden young sapling uncovered in the mature tree it resonated with me.
 
In the human body, as it is in nature, our bodies grow & evolve over time from the embryo. The link to this perfect form remains,  even though it's hidden from view.

As an osteopath , this is how we differ from other allied health professionals. We approach every patient as a whole person, not as a symptom or a disease. We look for that 'sapling' that is the health in each individual person and that is the platform from where we start. 

"It is the object of the physician to find Health. Anyone can find disease"
Dr. Andrew Taylor Still  Founder of Osteopathy
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[posted by Dr. Paola Perin. Image and story from https://goo.gl/jXZNq9]



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​Not only does sitting at a desk for long periods hurt your neck & back but your breathing & concentration suffers too! Unfortunately with all the tech gadgets these days we're seeing more and more adolescents & children coming into the clinic with the 'shy turtle' posture as well. This is a fun, short video demonstrating just how this occurs.

[original article posted on The Huffington Post Australia at http://goo.gl/XRTaLa]
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Yes, it's International Osteopathic Healthcare Week! It's a mouthful to say, but the message is important - Osteopaths treat more than most people think. 
Has Osteopathy helped you? We hope so, and we'd love you to help spread the good word :)
#IOHW2016

A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science shows just how much light-emitting electronic devices may affect sleep.
In this study, a group of 12 healthy adults lived in a controlled environment for two weeks. All individuals tested two conditions: reading from a light-emitting e-book and reading from a printed book in a dim room prior to going to sleep.

Researchers measured participants' sleep, plasma melatonin levels, and subjective sleepiness and objective alertness during the evening and the morning. Not surprisingly, researchers found that using an e-book in the evening suppressed melatonin levels by more than 50%. To compare, in the printed book condition there was no suppression of evening melatonin.
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On the night following the e-book condition, participants' dim light melatonin onset(when the body starts producing melatonin during dim light conditions) occurred more than 1.5 hours later than when participants read the printed book.
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The study also showed that participants took nearly ten minutes longer to fall asleep and had less REM sleep in the e-book condition compared to the printed book condition.

Texting and emailing make it harder to unwind before bed, adding to the sleep delay. Surat Lozowick/Flickr

By Dr. Sarah Brooksbank, KOC Osteopath

Often the pain we experience in everyday life can be traced back to our posture.

Our bodies are made up of four natural and protective spinal curves; these are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral curves. 

The curves are protective and develop to balance the load through the spine and allow shock absorption. Unfortunately in today's society many of the tasks we complete each day tend to create postural decompensation. Over time, poor ergonomics during desk work, driving, cleaning, cooking etc. can cause changes in the natural spinal curves. These changes then alter the load through the spine and can create compression of joints, discs, nerves and blood vessels which can lead to pain.  


Maintaining good desk ergonomics and being mindful of posture when completing other activities of daily living as well as performing simple stretching and strengthening exercises can help correct spinal alignment and reduce pain. There are many exercises that can be performed at the desk and/or at home which can help postural alignment. The good news is these exercises don't take a long time to complete and are effective for both current pain relief and future pain prevention. 


Combining osteopathic treatment to reduce soft tissue tension and help improve joint range of motion as well and completing specific postural exercises at home can help  get your body back on the right path.    

The type of pillow that you need will generally depend on what position you sleep in. 

Generally there are only two positions that are recommend for sleep.

The most recommended position is side sleeping
The way to measure the right height pillow is to lie on your side and to make sure the spine is in perfect alignment. The pillow must not cause the neck to tilt too much upwards or downwards and should allow for minimal pressure being exerted on the spine, neck and shoulder muscles.  

The two primary factors to look at when choosing a pillow are:

1) The broadness of the shoulders (i.e. frame size of person)

2) The softness of the bed. If bed is very soft then shoulders will sink in and a lower pillow will be required. If bed is very firm then shoulders will not press into the bed so much and a higher pillow may be required to support the neck.   

The second accepted position for sleeping is on the back 
If purely a back sleeper then a lower pillow is the right way to go. You will just need something that supports the curvature of your neck in order to perfectly align the necks progressive curve. The softness of the mattress will play a slight part in deciding a back sleeping pillow but not as much as for side sleepers.  

Back and Side Sleepers
If you are a back and side sleeper then we recommend finding a pillow that fits for side sleeping but is of a softer density so that when they roll onto their back the pillow will not cause undue pressure to the neck. 
  
Tummy Sleepers
Many people do sleep on their tummy but the consensus is that this should be avoided as it will place unnecessary pressure on the lower back during rest. There will also be undue strain on the neck which may cause damage over the medium to longer term.  

Some other hints
Other important factors to consider are if there are any other conditions either pre existing or preventative that need to be factored in. Also the length of time the user is in bed should be factored in when choosing a pillow as other supports may be required. 

Most importantly whichever pillow you choose it must hold its shape during the night so as to give you the support that you are after for the whole night. For this it is recommended that pillows should have a good density (weight) to them to make sure they last the distance required. 

[This information was supplied by our friends at Therapeutic Pillow Australia - we stock their products, and our Osteopaths can match you with the right pillow]