Our Chiropractor Dr Richard Mathers understands scoliosis in children and has experience with helping children feel more comfortable when getting used to a rigid scoliosis brace.

Massage and joint mobilisation in stiff areas of the spine and ribcage can help kids feel less joint and muscle pain when wearing the brace. A more complaint spine can also reduce pain from pressure points between the skin and hard areas of the scoliosis brace. 

If you have questions about spine and rib care treatment or wish to make an appointment please call our friendly team on 8272 2862, use the contact us page our book online.

Has your child ever broken a bone?

Were their joints reviewed 3-6 months later?

If a child has experienced enough force to bend, fracture or break a bone in their arm or leg, there is a very high chance that tearing and damage has occurred in the adjacent soft tissues. Muscles, ligaments, joint-capsules and tendons can be affected.

Joint function checks are important for children when the cast or brace is removed, and again 3 months later. Even if a child is pain free and appears fully recovered, guarding, avoidance and weakness can persist in injured soft tissues after fracture events and, if not resolved, may increase risk of problems later in life.

Joint function checks are important for children when the cast or brace is removed, and again 3 months later.

Joint and muscle function follow-ups are not always conducted in the months following a bone fracture in children. The broken ‘bone’ can get most of the attention and partially repaired connective tissues can easily be overlooked.

Our Chiropractor, Dr Richard Mathers, has extensive experience in peripheral (arm and leg) joint and muscle assessment and treatment for infants and children. Contact us today to schedule an assessment to see how your child is functioning after their fracture. Call 8272 2862 or book online here: https://www.surestarthealth.com.au/chiro-children/

Have you had thoughts like…. “Kids are pretty resilient, they bounce back well, better than us grown-ups” or “I’d consider seeing someone to help if he/she had pain that didn’t go away”

Did you know that the moving parts of young bodies can begin to lose their confidence, strength, and flexibility well before the appearance of the persisting or recurring pain patterns that are more typical of adulthood? Incomplete recovery from previous falls and collisions, prolonged periods spent gaming or studying, and genetic traits inherited from parents can contribute to this process.

Back and neck pain are common complaints in Australian children. By the time we reach adulthood, low back pain is a leading cause of disability here in Australia.

As a parent you can keep track of your child’s frame health, and create opportunities for early intervention, by having it periodically assessed by an experienced joint care professional. The same way you might take a pain free child to see a dentist or take a well running car to a mechanic for an inspection and service.

At Sure Start Health, we are in the business of identifying and restoring muscle and joint problems in children that might diminish their sporting performance or increase their risk of injury during play. We look for deficits in posture, flexibility, confidence, strength, control and comfort within the spine, hips, shoulder and ankles.

Having your child assessed in our office does not mean they will receive treatment. It may simply lead to a discussion with you and your questions being answered. It may result in you or your child receiving advice on how to improve joint health at home, at school or during sport. It may result in the prescription of tailored exercises for your child.

I am a child focused Chiropractor with 23 years experience. I have cared for hundreds of children with persisting spine pain, joint avoidance patterns and weakness. I also frequently deal with chronic problems in shoulders, hips and ankles. I have two active children aged 11 and 13 (in 2023) that play multiple sports and study hard. I have checked them periodically since they were born, and I will continue to monitor them regularly.

If you would like to have your child’s frame health checked you can book an assessment with us by calling 8272 2862 or book an initial visit online here. https://www.surestarthealth.com.au/chiro-children/

Facts about Idiopathic Scoliosis in Children:

• Girls are more likely to develop scoliosis as a child than boys
• The most common scoliosis presentation in school-aged children and teenagers involves a right convex thoracic curve
• The severity of the curve just before puberty is an important progressive risk factor
• During puberty, scoliosis has the greatest risk of progression because the spine is growing so quickly. Particularly in the first 2 years of puberty (average age 11-13 years in girls). Scoliosis assessment / monitoring during this period is important.
• The vast majority of child scoliosis cases don’t progress to require a brace or surgery
• A family history of scoliosis may increase the risk that your child will develop a scoliosis
• Ballet dancers are at greater risk of developing scoliosis
• Juvenile scoliosis – develops between the ages of 3 and 10. This form is more common in girls and typically involves a right convex thoracic curve. A juvenile onset scoliosis is considered more likely to progress than a curve coming on later in adolescence
• Adolescent scoliosis – develops after the age of 10 and is the most common idiopathic form. The majority do not progress to more severe forms that require bracing or surgery

Sign of childhood scoliosis for parents to look out for:

• Elevated hip on one side
• Lower shoulder
• Prominent shoulder blade
• Increased distance between waist and arm on one side
• Raised rib cage on one side when your child bends forward when standing
• The curve in the spine does not go away when they sit down

If you would like your child to receive a scoliosis assessment, or if you have any questions, please contact our office on 8272 2862

VARY STUDYING POSTURE

Vary their studying position at home. Some reading, writing, typing can be done whilst lying on their tummy on the floor or on their bed. Standing at a high desk is an option. Even lying on alternate sides of the body, or on their back, is acceptable for some activities providing it is comfortable. Variety is the key.

ENCOURAGE UPRIGHT and OVERHEAD ACTIVITIES

This is another way to promote upright posture in children. Walking and running commonly comes with better posture than sitting. Throwing a ball into the air above the head and catching it, volleyball, basketball and badminton. Most swimming styles like freestyle, back stroke and breast stroke encourage good posture. Dancing, gymnastics, bodysurfing and boogie boarding may also be helpful for promoting spine strength and upright posture.

ELEVATE THEIR STERNUM

When sitting, walking and running, children should practice raising their sternum (breast bone) towards the sky. This simple action, when performed regularly, should encourage improved head, spine and shoulder position.

CREATE A GOOD WORKSTATION

Take the time to arrange a proper desk setup for your child to use at home. Your child may spend hours each week studying at home and this is one of the few places you have an opportunity to get this ‘just right’ for your child. Start with an appropriate sized chair and table height to match. An elevated shelf or platform near the rear of the desk will enable them to position their monitor up high for viewing with an upright posture. When seated, the chair should be pulled in close to the desk and their work (paper or keyboard/mouse) should be positioned close to their body to avoid overreaching.

I hope you found this article helpful. Please feel free to forward it on to anyone you feel may benefit. If you have any questions about any of these topics please don’t hesitate to send us a message or give us a call on 8272 2862.

Richard Mathers

MORE TUMMY TIME

Lying on their front when on the floor or on their bed is an achievable activity for most children. It can be used for a variety of tasks including reading, puzzles, tablet use, TV or game consoles. This propped-up position encourages an upright chest and head posture and creates a contrast to the slouching posture many children get through prolonged sitting.

SIT UP STRAIGHT

Encourage children daily to sit up straight at the dinner table, on the sofa and at the computer. If your child’s thighs are too short to sit well back on an adult sized chair with their knees bent (a common scenario) place a cushion behind their low back for support. The same applies to the sofa. Alternatively, have them wriggle right back into the sofa with their knees straight (this however can be difficult for children with short hamstrings).

WIRELESS KEYBOARD and MOUSE

Tablets and Laptops are often associated with a ‘head down’ or ‘slouched’ posture because the screen of the device is too low and too close when placed on a desk or table top. A separate keyboard and mouse enables the device to be placed up high on a box or platform in front of the user whilst leaving the keyboard and mouse close to the body where they are needed.

TABLETS and SMART PHONES WHEN SITTING

Rest the device on a couple of cushions (or similar) on their lap. The elevated position will help them assume a more upright posture and will likely reduce stress on the neck and shoulders. This can also be applied to sitting in the car.

Stay tuned for Part 2….

Sincerely, Richard

SIDS guidelines recommend that children do not use pillows until they are old enough to sleep in a bed. This is a good rule to follow.

When a child lies on their side the pillow should be thick enough to support the side of the head and neck in a neutral position. Not to thin or too thick (see image below).

To check this, get down at their level and observe them from in front and from behind (in their own bed). When a child gets older they can bunch the pillow a little under their neck because the neck is slightly thinner than the head and therefore requires a little more pillow to provide adequate support.

When a child lies on their back the best pillow is a relatively thin one. In this position the pillow’s main job is not to raise the head from the mattress but to gently support the back of the neck.

Pillows are of little value when a child sleeps on their tummy. In this position a pillow will tend to force the head into an even greater turn and may aggravate the spine.

If a child sleeps on their front with their head consistently turned to the same side, they may have limited turning freedom to the opposite side.

WHAT TO DO

Most young children sleep in a variety of positions throughout the night (including on their tummy). Because of this they are better off using a thinner pillow rather than a thick one. This way the child will get good support when on their back, fair support when on their side (can be made better by bunching under the neck) and will minimise stress on the neck if they lie on their front.

When they get older and settle into a ‘preferred’ sleeping position you may choose the right pillow (or no pillow) accordingly.

If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s pillow or sleeping position please contact our office, we may be able to help.

Please feel free to forward it on to anyone you feel may benefit.

Sincerely, Richard.

Disclaimer:   The information in this article is not intended as a substitute for professional help or advice.  Neither Sure Start Chiropractic nor any of its practitioners assume any responsibility for harm or injury to anyone who uses the information, or damage to any equipment. If your child appears to be in pain or discomfort stop the activity and consider discussing this with a spine health professional.

Sitting up straight requires a certain amount of flexibility and some muscle strength, both of which can be achieved by most people with regular practice.  If a person does not regularly attempt to actively sit up straight they may lose their sitting ‘fitness’, making it more difficult for them to sit up straight.

Encourage your child to actively sit up straight every day with their sternum (breast bone) raised and forward (see first image below).  When they do this correctly they should feel their body weight pushing on the chair under their thighs. The more a child practices this the easier it should get.  Good times to encourage upright sitting habits are at the dinner table (for the whole family), sitting on the sofa and when at their desk.

Top Tip – Attach a foam rubber block to the chair back for support.

When a child transitions to an adult sized chair but no longer uses a booster seat, their thigh bone is often not long enough to properly fit the chair (visible in the image above). When their knees are bent there can be a considerable gap between their back and the ‘chair’ back. The foam block should minimise the amount of slouching that occurs when your child chooses to relax back into their chair (see image below). I purchased this one from Clark Rubber.  It is moderately dense foam and I chose a thickness to match the gap between the child’s bottom and the chair back when the child sits as far back as their knees allow. Change to a thinner foam block as your child grows. It is affixed with large elastic straps (from a hardware store).

Disclaimer:  The information in this article is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for professional help or advice.  Neither Sure Start Chiropractic nor any of its practitioners assume any responsibility for harm or injury to anyone who uses the information, or damage to any equipment. If you or your child appears to be in pain or discomfort stop the activity and consider discussing this with a spine health professional.