In most cities and states, school is already back in session or is starting soon. While times remain uncertain and some schools are still closed and opting for virtual education, kids still have school supplies and books that they need to learn this year. Whether they’re learning at home, going to their school in-person, or doing digital learning from a location other than at home, they will likely be hauling all their school materials around from time to time, if not on a daily basis.

Since back pain is such a common complaint among Americans, especially kids and teens who have a heavy load of school supplies to transport, it’s important that you utilize these backpack safety tips. Lithia Springs chiropractor Dr. Ronnie Bolar is passionate about helping kids and adults maintain health and optimal function of their central nervous systems, and that begins with the spine. Here are his top tips for backpack safety to keep kids healthy and pain-free this school year.

Choose a Quality Backpack

While quality may not be as big of a deal for younger students, middle and high school students who are carrying more books need a durable and supportive backpack. Choose one with padded straps, one that can be adjusted easily for proper fit, and one that has multiple pockets for proper weight distribution.

Wear It Properly

Kids are prone to tossing backpacks lackadaisically over their shoulder and running out the door, but that could be doing harm to their back and overall health. Backpacks should be worn close to the back, not sagging and loosely hanging off of them. Aim to keep the entire backpack on the child’s actual back, and make sure the shoulder straps are even. Avoid wearing it loosely or on just one shoulder, […]

As children grow, they tend to learn a lot by doing, whether that is a baby mimicking the sounds and movements she sees her parents do or a small child trying to run as fast as his older sibling. These activities are a great way for children to learn and grow, but as we well know, they can end up taking plenty of tumbles and falls along the way to discovering new things. Additionally, children tend to follow the paths of their parents in terms of lifestyle choices and overall health, so it’s important to start them early with making healthy choices and taking care of their bodies. Chiropractic care is a healthy, natural way to address your child’s growing bones and body to encourage and promote healing and growth, both during childhood and well into the future.

Chiropractic Care for Developing Brains

Children’s brains are continuously developing for many years, and as their brains develop, they send out communications through the nervous system, telling the body what muscles to move, what hormones to release, and more. The spine houses the spinal cord, which is where all these communications travel, and regular chiropractic care can help ensure these important lines of communication are open. When blood flow and nerves are functioning optimally, the brain is able to develop properly and complete its tasks effectively, promoting better concentration, growth, learning, and more.

A chiropractor working with children focuses on improving the brain-body connection and helping the nervous system develop and function to the best of its ability. Through gentle chiropractic care, the doctor aims to eliminate interference from the brain to the rest of the body. Dr. Ronnie in Lithia Springs is a pediatric chiropractor who loves to teach kids about how chiropractic works and to […]

Bursitis is diagnosed when the fluid-filled sacs around the joints are inflamed, causing pain in and around the joints. These sacs are called bursae, and they act as cushions for the bones, tendons, and muscles around each joint. When the joints are overworked or moved repetitively in the same way, inflammation of the bursae is often the result. While bursitis can occur at just about any joint in the body, it most commonly presents itself in the most regularly used joints, which include the knees, shoulders, hips, and elbows.

Repetitive use of a joint may be unavoidable, but the most effectively your body is functioning and the healthier you are, the less likely you are to experience bursitis. Your body needs proper blood flow and great communication between the brain and the rest of the body in order to alleviate bursitis or avoid it in the first place. Thankfully, a Lithia Springs chiropractor can help with those things.

Identifying Bursitis

So many people suffer from joint pain of various kinds, and it can be hard to differentiate between bursitis and other similar conditions. It’s important to know that bursitis is usually a short-term problem, and it rarely leads to serious damage or requires surgery. Arthritis is another joint condition, but it is caused by long-term wear and tear of the joints. Whereas bursitis is about inflammation of the bursae, arthritis is about the wearing down of cartilage, which is a more serious and long-lasting condition. Tendinitis is another condition that is commonly confused with bursitis. Tendinitis has to do with inflammation of the tendons, which is a soft tissue that connects muscles to bones.

It’s also important to know that bursitis usually affects those over 40, although people with certain jobs may suffer from […]

Quality sleep is one of the main goals of every parent. Whether you have a newborn baby, a school-aged child, or teenagers, you know how important sleep is to health, growth, and overall happiness. You also know how difficult it can be for everyone in your household to get a good night’s rest, especially regularly.

A lot of different things can contribute to poor sleep in children. One is natural sleep disruptions, such as growth spurts, newborns needing to eat throughout the night, or being woken from bad dreams or loud noises in the house. These are pretty unavoidable in most cases, and they are typically singular events or at least temporary. But what about when children have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for months or years on end?

Some kids never learn how to fall asleep on their own, so when they wake in the middle of the night, they struggle to fall back asleep without the help or comfort of a parent. Other children may stay up later than their bodies need to or they don’t take quality naps during the day, so they struggle to get adequate sleep they need and deal with the consequences on a daily basis.

The Trouble with a Lack of Sleep

Not only does a lack of sleep in children impact the mood of the child, but it can affect a lot more. Children who are exhausted may be grumpy, irritable, and angrier. They may also be more prone to temper tantrums or disrespectful behavior. They can also experience challenges with their development since their brains don’t have enough time to rest and repair during the night.

In addition, when kids don’t sleep, parents don’t sleep either. This can lead to a stressful environment in the home […]

When we think about our health and the ways we maintain it, most things we think about will be related to our physical well being. We may think of illnesses like colds, injuries to the back or legs, and broken bones. These are all important components of our health, but what many people don’t realize is that these are all tied to interconnected systems inside the body. Both the brain and the spinal cord work together to regulate the rest of the body. This means that what you may see as a minor injury or illness is rooted in issues of the brain, the spinal cord, and their communication. For the brain to develop properly and maintain health, proper care of the spine is also important. Visiting a Lithia Springs chiropractor can be a step towards optimal brain development.

How the Brain Develops

A child’s brain begins developing before they are even born and doesn’t stop developing throughout their life. The brain develops from right to left, and the majority of this growth happens in the first 3 years of life. The right brain controls emotions, processing, and moral choices and is the first part of the brain to develop. Then between the ages of three and six, the left brain begins to form reasoning, problem solving, and language abilities. While these functions develop, it is imperative for the body and brain to communicate well. The brain controls all systems in the body, including the central nervous system, which is tasked with transmitting messages from the brain to various nerves and body systems. Because of the spine and brain’s connection, a misalignment in the spine could lead to developmental delays and cause long-term issues. By adjusting the spine, a chiropractor like Dr. […]

As our bodies are made up of mostly water, it stands to reason that drinking water is an important component of staying healthy. Various routine practices can cause us to lose water from our system, including sweating, crying, using the restroom, dieting, and drinking alcohol. This is why it’s necessary to drink plentiful amounts of water throughout the day and replenish this lost resource. In addition to rehydrating the body, water also has a number of health benefits. Being proactive about your health can help prevent future issues and make sure you are functioning well every day, and you can take proactive steps by being under regular chiropractic care as well as drinking more water. In addition to the benefits you’ll receive from regular care at a Lithia Spring chiropractor, below are some of the ways drinking more water will improve your wellbeing.

Prevent Fatigue

Fatigue, or feeling extremely tired to the point of lethargy, can often be one of the first symptoms of dehydration. In order to keep blood pumping through the body, the heart needs water, and when it lacks water, it has to work even harder. Organs also have to work harder to perform their daily functions when the body enters dehydration. Getting plenty of rest and drinking adequate amounts of water can stave off fatigue and help you feel more energized.

Reduce Muscle Cramps

When the muscles are not getting enough water, they can become tight, causing painful cramping. This may occur when you are resting or moving. If you’ve ever experienced this phenomenon, it can range from annoying to excruciating and prevent you from completing daily activities. Drinking enough water prevents your muscles from cramping and will keep you active and without muscle pain.

Detox

As we eat, drink, and […]