Lifetime Wellness Chiropractic
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LWC is pleased to announce that Megan Veenhuizen will be taking on the role of Office Manager as of September 20th, 2008. Megan has only been with us for one year but her enthusiasm and dedication have resulted in her being a perfect candidate to now take over the official Office Manager position. Megan will continue to provide insurance and billing support to the office in addition to her new team management and daily operations duties. Please join us in congratulating her in her newly appointed position. Thanks for all the hard work Megan!

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Back to School Back Pack Safety Tips
 
It's that time of year again.  The kids trek off to school by foot, car, bus, ect with large backpacks in tow.  Each year the weight of the packs seems to become heavier with increasing homework demands.  Carrying a heavy load that is too heavy
 and unevenly, or improperly distributed, can result in poor posture and can distort the spinal column leading to neck and back pain, muscle strain, headaches, arm and shoulder pain, and even nerve damage.  These symptoms can be greatly quelled by lightening the load and making certain that the contents of the backpack are properly distributed.  Here are some tips to ensure that your child is carrying the proper backpack in the correct way.
 
1.  First, and foremost, choose a backpack based upon function, as opposed to fashion.  The pack should be ergonomically designed and should say so. 
 
2.  A lightweight material, such as canvas is best.  There should be two adjustable, padded shoulder straps and a hip/waist strap.  The back of the pack should be padded.
 
3.  When considering the load of the backpack, follow the 20% rule.  This rule maintains that the pack is to weigh no more than 20% of your child's weight (ie. 14lb bag for a 70lb child).  Pack only what is needed for that day.
 
4.  Make sure that the contents are evenly distributed.  Pack the heaviest objects closest to the body and the odd-shaped, or bumpy objects away from the back.  Utilize side pockets for cell phones, water bottles, and other small objects.
 
5.  The backpack should fit properly.  The pack should fit snuggly against the body but not too tightly around the arms or under the armpits.  Choose a size that is proportionate to the body.
 
It is always a good idea to help young children put the backpack on, at the least the first few times.  Put the backpack on a flat surface at waist height.  Slip on the pack, one shoulder at a time and then adjust the straps to fit comfortably.  Remind the child that when lifting a backpack to pull the pack in tightly towards the body and lift utilizing the legs and bending at the knees.
 
If your child begins to complain of neck, shoulder, or back pain, frequent headaches, or you notice changes in their posture, such as forward protrusion of the neck or shoulder slumping, have them checked sooner rather than later.  If you suspect that it may be due to wearing a backpack it will help to bring their backpack, fully loaded to their appointment.    
 
       
 
 
 

Change

By Dr Heather Denniston
 
Sometimes I live in a box.  Not a cardboard throw-away that used to house somebody's new big screen TV.  I mean that figurative box that you snuggle up inside when your life is coasting along and things are safe and familiar.  That box comes in many shapes and sizes and goes by a plethora of aliases; the comfort zone, the status quo, net neutral existence.  You look around and say life isn't exceptional but it is pretty darn good.  Then you notice that it's quiet...too quiet.  That kind of quiet when clouds roll over your head and you say to yourself, "Huh, I wonder what that rumbling noise is?"  Then with a crackle and snap your world as you know it opens up and the ground falls out from your firmly planted feet.  It is called Change.  Often unanticipated and unwanted it still goes by the same name.  Change is a sudden loss of a job.  Change is a poor report from the doctor.  Change is scary.  Change is hard.
 
In the book, Tuesdays With Morrie, Morrie is a wise professor suffering the terminal repercussions of ALS.  He speaks of his situation and says that he allows five minutes in the morning to feel sorry for himself and then he mentally moves past it and onto what he needs to do and experience to get the most out of his final days.  I appreciated his insight because his philosophy relates to change well.  When faced with a big, scary, unanticipated change, allowing a few minutes to say, "why me" and reflect what you're losing is okay and a natural part of the process of moving forward.  However, you then must pull yourself out of the mire and put one foot in front of the other to create the forward motion needed to navigate the eye of the storm.  This forward motion is the only means by which you can emerge on the other side and look back to say, "I understand what I was supposed to learn", or "I had no idea I was this strong", and if you're lucky, "I see why this all had to happen this way and what good things were a result!"
 
When change hit my life, like the death of my father, or the loss of a valuable friendship, did I say "Hey, I would like my life to be thrown into upheaval so that I can learn some new things?"  No, I am human.  I like comfortable, not crazy. But because of the changes in my life am I clearer, am I stronger, and am I more prepared for the next snowball that life intends to to throw in my face?  Yes.  Would those character strengthening transformations have happened if the thunder hadn't rolled and the ground hadn't opened up?  Definitly not.
 
Change is the obstacle course that we must navigate to achieve wisdom.  It is our learning playground.  Change forces us outside our metaphorical box into the unknown where our senses are heightened and we can be open to learn new things.  Change will ask you what you're made of and will allow you to prove to yourself that you are stronger than you ever imagined. 
 

 
Lifetime Wellness Chiropractic