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Health and Wellness
James P. McMenamin, DMD
S
PECIALTY
P
ERMIT
#3409
Diplomate American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
1024 Park Ave. • Suite 2
Plainfield
908-757-3231
65 Mountain Blvd. Ext. • Suite 106
Warren
732-356-1414
Picked up your kid’s backpack this week? It’s really heavy. You can actually see them bending and leaning under the strain of it. Throw a trombone in the mix and your child looks like an adorable pack mule. But before you conference call all his teach- ers, the principal and the mayor, here are some things you can do to ease the burden. Weigh the backpack and then weigh your child. The weight of the backpack should be no more than 10-15% of the child’s total body weight. The Association of NJ Chiropractors (ANJC) recom- mends between 10% and 15% and we will call this the Yellow (Warning) Zone. If your child’s backpack weight is in the Yellow Zone, or even the Red Zone (>15% of their body weight), it’s time to re-think what’s in there. Remove any un-needed items: last week’s homework, loose change, filled-up or un-used notebooks, library books not needed right away, water bot- tles, etc. These items can pack on the pounds. Next, discuss with your child the need to carry every single book and notebook they have around with them at all times. You may uncover worries over having what they need, or not having enough time at their locker, or that they aren’t confident about using their assignment pad. Talking about their worries will ease their stress over school- work and help them have the confidence to be more organ- ized. This teaches them to strategize and will lighten the weight they carry (AKA-desired result). Many schools provide 2 sets of books, one for home and one for school. Some districts even have access to textbooks online. If not, email the teacher and see if there’s spare copy that your child can use at school, or check online for inexpensive, used copies. After all of this and the back- pack is still in the Yellow or Red Zone, have your child carry a few books in their arms (so old- school). This reduces the weight and balances the load. If it still seems like a problem, or you have questions, please call us or make an appointment. Back- pack fittings are no charge in our office. We are happy to take 10 minutes to lighten the load on you and your child. HEAVY BACKPACKS POSE BACK PROBLEMS By: Dr. Jeanine Baer Feinstein Stirling Health & Pain Management 908-903-0111 %)$( !$ %)" * & ( )$ ! % '( ! ( (& ( " !$ ! " ! %# %& )$ & "' $ '( "!'Psychic • Spiritualist
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