The Joint Chiropractic Emphasizes Posture, Backpack Weight & 'Tech Neck' as Kids Head Back to School

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Sep 01, 2021, 10:42 ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The upcoming school year is going to be an adjustment for a lot of families. Between the transition back to in-person learning, organized sports, play dates and more, it can be taxing on young bodies. The Joint Corp. (NASDAQ: JYNT), the nation's largest provider of chiropractic care through The Joint Chiropractic^® network, is encouraging families to discuss the importance of spine health and its impact on children as they return to school.

Tips for growing healthy and happy kids from The Joint Chiropractic.

With a return to campus, students will spend long stretches of time seated at desks, which can impact their posture and back. Poor backpack habits, extended hours on the phone, tablet and computer (which can lead to tech neck), and even some extracurricular activities can take a toll on their bodies. For school-aged children and student athletes, a healthy nervous system, brain, muscles and joint movement allow for achieving developmental milestones, and the ability to adapt to stress in their life.

"Every year, children put their bodies through changes and habits they grew out of while home for summer, like sitting at a desk, lugging heavy backpacks around and playing after school sports," said Steven Knauf, D.C., Executive Director of Chiropractic and Compliance at The Joint Corp. "One of the best ways to help your child maintain spinal wellbeing when they go back to school and avoid misalignments and structural issues, like tech neck, is to encourage daily activity and proper posture. Walking in place, stretching, or doing a few jumping jacks will help prevent the muscle strain that can accompany sitting in one place for a long time."

The time spent looking down at a screen texting friends and studying, can cause damage to the structures in the neck and spine, often referred to as tech neck. It's important to teach children to hold their tablet or phone at eye level to help reduce the pressure placed on the neck. In an upright posture, the head normally weighs about 10 to 12 pounds. When the head is tilted forward, it can put additional strain on the neck, reaching up to 50 or even 60 pounds of pressure.

Additionally, back-to-school means shopping, and the American Chiropractic Association suggests the following tips for consideration when looking for a child's backpack and how to pack it:

Backpacks should not be wider or longer than a child's torso;
Choose a backpack with a padded back and shoulder straps;
Know that bigger isn't always better – with more room comes more weight to carry. Fully loaded, a child's backpack should never weigh more than 10-15% of their total body weight; and
Pack the heaviest things as close to the back and body as possible.

Children of all ages, from infants to tweens and teen athletes, can take advantage of regular chiropractic care. The Joint Chiropractic is known for its convenient retail setting and concierge-style services including no-appointments, no-insurance hassles, affordable chiropractic care and accommodating hours of operations, including evenings and weekends.

For information on The Joint Chiropractic, or to find one of our chiropractors near you, visit thejoint.com. To learn more about kids and chiropractic care, visit thejoint.com/parents.

About The Joint Chiropractic
The Joint Corp. revolutionized access to chiropractic care when it introduced its retail healthcare business model in 2010. Today, the company is making quality care convenient and affordable, while eliminating the need for insurance, for millions of patients seeking pain relief and ongoing wellness. With more than 600 locations nationwide and over eight million patient visits annually, The Joint Chiropractic is a key leader in the chiropractic industry. Named on Franchise Times "Top 200+ Franchises" and Entrepreneur's "Franchise 500^®" lists, The Joint Chiropractic is an innovative force, where healthcare meets retail.

Business Structure
The Joint Corp. is a franchisor of clinics and an operator of clinics in certain states. In Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming, The Joint Corp. and its franchisees provide management services to affiliated professional chiropractic practices.