Questions. Answers. Knowledge. Could my child’s neck pain be due to too much screen time?
Did you know? Neck pain can be caused by
POOR POSTURE
while playing video games, texting, or staring at any screen. Children usually sit in a slouched position and stare down at a screen with their necks bent over. To decrease neck pain, a child should work on sitting more upright.
Neck pain can be caused by poor posture while playing video games, texting, or staring at any screen. Because children usually sit in a slouched position and stare down at the screen with their necks bent over, this poor posture causes neck muscle tension and can result in pain. However, there are several ways children can decrease neck pain. When using mobile devices, playing games or looking at screens, children should sit upright as much as possible. Propping up the device on a table at eye level will help decrease their downward gaze and improve posture. Another easy way to minimize muscle strain and improve posture is to place a pillow on their lap to rest their arms and raise their device. It’s essential to use devices at eye level, so they’re not bending their necks forward and down. Children should also take breaks to move their bodies around, stretch their arms, move their neck, walk around the house or go outside. Sitting in any position for too long can cause muscle tightness and pain. Samantha Chou, MSPT
Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc Richmond | 804.285.0148 www.orthopedicptinc.com
Now that mom is living with us, how can I prevent boredom while we still can’t go anywhere? Having a relative or parent come to live with you is a significant adjustment, especially during a pandemic and times of isolation. Helping your loved one feel engaged can prevent them from feeling bored and stressed. To help them feel involved, consider three things: A attention span; B skills and abilities; and C interests. Find activities that are interesting, fun and challenging—without being too complicated—to help your loved one feel a sense of purpose. If the task at hand is too easy to accomplish or too repetitive, it can create boredom and won’t keep their attention. Use a schedule to help decrease anxiety and increase predictability in everyone’s day. It is also easier to change plans if you already have the framework. Try to change the scenery, whether that is just going to a different room, venturing outside, or sitting with a different view. Including, and adapting, your loved one into activities you’re already doing will encourage her social and emotional well-being. Liz Creasman, CTRS
Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers Richmond | 804.764.1000 www.shelteringarms.com
How can I prevent shingles? Shingles (herpes zoster virus) is the reactivation of the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you’ve ever had chickenpox, you can develop shingles because the virus stays in your body, lying dormant after the chickenpox clears up. Over 96 percent of people in the U.S. have been exposed to the virus that causes shingles. It can become reactivated later in life in the nervous system because of a weakened immune system, or changes in your immune system due to aging. Shingles often cause pain, a rash and several possible complications, including postherpetic neuralgia, which is long-term burning pain. To prevent shingles, we use vaccines to build the body’s immune system against the virus. The vaccine, when received in proper doses, can prevent over 90 percent of virus reactivations. Avoiding others with active infections and maintaining a healthy immune system may also decrease exposure to the shingles virus. The current recommended shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is a single injection and can be given starting at age 50 or when recommended by your doctor. Steven Lewis, MD
JenCare Senior Medical Center Richmond | 804.228.1143 www.jencaremed.com
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