Chiropractors are Teaching Chidren How to Keep Their Spines Healthy
When most people think of the average chiropractic patient, they think of an adult that is probably suffering from some sort of chronic back pain. While chiropractors do help to treat back pain, there are a lot of other things they can help with too. The spinal manipulation that chiropractors perform, is meant to help promote the nervous system and prevent any future problems. One chiropractor is trying to stop subluxations before they start – by teaching children and teens how to keep their spines healthy.
Dr. Ben Grams has been offering posture, spine, and nervous system classes free of charge in his community’s schools for the past three years. He states that spinal problems often begin in early childhood and get worse as people age. Because of this, Dr. Grams has dedicated himself to helping kids literally start out on the right track. During his presentations, Dr. Grams uses humor and interactive demonstrations to teach kids about how to keep good posture.
Dr. Grams shows students a plastic skeletal model in order to demonstrate what poor posture can do to the spine. He explains that interwoven nerves and misaligned vertebrae can cause damage and pain. Dr. Grams then instructs the children how to sit and stand properly, and also teaches at-home stretches that can be utilized to promote spinal health.
The children are often intrigued and take the classes to heart. Dr. Grams states that many students talk about their parents’ back issues during his sessions. Much like other good habits like hand-washing and tooth-brushing, posture is something that children can learn early for future success. Dr. Grams says that kids who participated in his classes, as elementary students will see him when they are older and recall the lessons he taught them.
Dr. Grams wants programs like these to spread across the country, as he states that childhood is a crucial time for proper spine development. Although this chiropractor offers his classes for free, he is only one person. If schools across the country implemented his lessons, proper posture could be taught right alongside other important life skills. Perhaps this knowledge could help an entire generation prevent serious musculoskeletal issues in the future.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Autumn Barnes