6 top tips for a Healthy School Year

With the new school year upon us, we help your child’s start to the year be as smooth and comfortable as possible with our essential back to school checklist.


Here are our top tips to help you and the kids get ready for back to school.

1. SCHOOL BACKPACK

  • Make sure school backpack is fitted correctly. When the backpack is worn correctly it should;
  • sit evenly on both shoulders
  • finish up level with the hips
  • heaviest items should be placed at the back of the bag and lightest to the front
  • waist and chest straps are an important part of the bag to help secure the bag and make sure that when worn the weight is evenly distributed through your child’s spine
  • choose a bag that has padded straps and a lumbar support

2. SCHOOL SHOES

It’s Important to start the new school year in good quality shoes as your child will be running and walking in them all day long. Growing kids tend to need new school shoes yearly. 

  • check school shoes are in good condition with the soles not worn out
  • look at the back of the shoes for signs of uneven wear
  • is there enough room, a thumb width between big toe and shoe should be present

3. HEALTHY SNACKS & LUNCHES

Put a plan together to make sure there is plenty of healthy snacks and ideas for school lunches. Making school lunches that are enjoyable for kids and that don’t come back home at the end of a school day.

  • encourage the children to be involved in the process
  • spend the few hours preparing ideas and baking healthy snacks on weekend create variation with muffins, healthy cookies, bliss balls, salad wraps, zucchini slice, rice paper rolls, sushi, crackers and dips, veggie sticks, fun cut up fruit, smoothies

4. POSTURE PERFECT

Focusing on posture at home is great preparation for good posture at school. Set a good example for your children by having good posture yourself.

  • when seated shoulders should be back and relaxed
  • have both feet planted on the floor when seated
  • reduce screen time after homework is complete
  • provide supportive chairs and ergonomic desks for homework


5. GET MOVING

Make time for exercise daily is another item to tick off on our back to school checklist. Here are a few ideas:

  • walk or ride to school
  • play outside after school
  • walk dog
  • join a team sport

6.CONSIDER A CHIROPRACTOR

Consider a chiropractor for your child to help them get ready for the new school year.  Reasons that you may want to bring your child in for an assessment – they have gone through a big growth spurt, posture changes, active and doing a lot of sport.  Chiropractic care at school age focuses on optimising spinal alignment and improving posture during important critical times of growth. The posture and habits that you adopt as a child/teen can follow you into adulthood so it’s important to try to form good habits early on.


Contact us to organise a free backpack fitting. We will be doing them in the practice for the first week of the school year.

Click here to try this 20 minute holiday exercise program for the whole family. For a 5 minute core activation video Click Here.

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