🎃 Avoid Halloween Aches: Tips for Trick-or-Treating Families 🎃

Are your kids the ones sprinting house to house like it’s a candy-powered 5K… while you’re limping behind, regretting not stretching beforehand?
You’re not alone. Halloween is one of the most physically demanding holidays—especially for parents. Between wrangling excited kids, carrying buckets full of sugar (and eventually coats, flashlights, and random costume pieces), and dodging decorative trip hazards, your spine and muscles take a real beating.

This year, before you find yourself hunched over with a sore back and a pumpkin full of regret, check out these lesser-known chiropractic-approved tips to keep your whole family feeling spook-tacular before, during, and after trick-or-treating.

👟 1. Sneaky Footwear Fix: Costume-Approved Inserts

Let’s talk about those adorable costume shoes—tiny heels, plastic boots, or thin, slippery soles. Cute? Sure. Supportive? Absolutely not. Most Halloween costumes are designed to look fun, not feel functional. The result? Parents and kids alike wind up with aching feet and aggravated knees by the third house.

Here’s the trick: Grab a pair of gel inserts or over-the-counter orthotics and pop them into those costume shoes. Better yet, let your child wear supportive sneakers underneath a longer costume like a superhero cape or princess dress. They’ll never know—unless you're Cinderella, no one’s checking your shoes at the door.

Parents: you’re not off the hook. If you’re walking a few miles that night, consider athletic shoes with arch support, even if they clash with your “cool vampire” look. Nothing’s scarier than plantar fasciitis.

👉 And for a longer-term solution, our office offers affordable custom orthotics designed to support kids and adults alike. They’re a smart investment that not only saves your arches on Halloween night but also promotes healthy development and posture year-round.

🎒 2. Pumpkin Bucket Posture Hacks

What do trick-or-treat buckets and adult handbags have in common? They pull unevenly on one side of the body and mess with your posture.

Kids tend to hold their candy pails in one hand the entire night—cue muscle imbalance, neck tension, and the kind of shoulder ache that even a Snickers can’t cure. Encourage them to switch hands every few houses or use a cross-body bag or small backpack instead.

Parents, the real MVPs, usually end up carrying multiple buckets, costume props, and stray accessories. If you’re the designated candy mule, wear a small hiking pack or tote with padded straps. It evenly distributes the weight and keeps you from leaning like a zombie by the end of the block.

🧠 3. Post-Halloween Zone 2 Reset: Nervous System Cooldown

Here’s a trick most families miss: Your nervous system doesn’t automatically settle down after Halloween. Kids (and adults) stay on high alert from the sugar, overstimulation, and excitement of the night.

To help your body recover properly and avoid those next-day headaches, bellyaches, or muscle tension, get a Zone 2 (Eliminative) adjustment within 48 hours. Resetting this zone supports the kidneys and intestines—important players in flushing out all that Halloween candy overload—and helps your system re-regulate quickly.

Bonus: A nervous system that isn’t overloaded handles stress better, and that means fewer tantrums and better sleep for the whole household.

👶 Speaking of little ones—Dr. Pomeroy has recently earned an advanced certification in pediatric care, further strengthening our ability to serve families. Whether your child is dealing with growing pains, recurring ear infections, or simply needs better balance after a long night of trick-or-treating, our office is here to support healthy development from toddlerhood through the teen years.

🌿 Natural Remedies for the Morning After

So your kid had six mini chocolate bars, three pieces of licorice, and a full-size mystery candy that probably wasn’t FDA-approved. And now they’ve got a bellyache, headache, or both. You’re tempted to grab the usual over-the-counter fix.

Pause. There’s a better way.

Instead of OTC medications that can be harsh on the gut or cause drowsiness, try these natural alternatives available right here in our office:

• Bariatric Fusion Probiotic Chews – Gentle and kid-approved, these support gut balance after a night of sugar overload.

• Formula 303 (DC Labs) – A natural muscle relaxant that’s great for tight shoulders, back spasms, and tension headaches from long walks or late-night sugar crashes.

• Magnesium Complex (Chiropractor’s Blend) – Supports sleep, muscle recovery, and can help regulate the nervous system after excitement overload. Great for kids, teens, and tired parents alike.

Choosing natural remedies helps your body recover without the side effects of synthetic chemicals. Plus, they support long-term wellness—because Halloween might be just one night, but your spine, muscles, and gut are here all year.

Hygiene & Diaper Drive: Supporting Simply Hygiene

This fall, we’re proud to partner with Simply Hygiene to collect essential hygiene items for those in need right here in our community. From October 1st through November 21st, we’ll be running a Hygiene & Diaper Drive at PCW, alongside our annual Bread of Life food drive (non-perishable food items).

We are accepting donations of:

• Body wash

• Men’s & women’s deodorant

• Diapers (sizes 3, 4, and 5)

• Conditioner & shampoo

• Toilet paper

Monetary donations can also be made directly through Venmo at: https://www.venmo.com/u/simplyhygiene

Over the past year, Simply Hygiene has distributed products to local domestic violence shelters, transitional housing, schools, homeless shelters, and hygiene pantries—helping ensure no one goes without these everyday essentials.

Together, let’s fill the shelves and uplift our neighbors. Every donation, big or small, makes a real difference.

🎃 Final Trick, Treat, and Tip: Don’t Wait for the Ache to Attack

Halloween should leave you with memories, not migraines.

If you want to enjoy the fun without paying the price, come see us before AND after the big night. A pre-Halloween adjustment helps prep your nervous system, improve posture, and keep your energy levels strong. And a follow-up visit helps your body bounce back faster—no matter how many houses you hit.

Call now to schedule your family's Halloween Wellness Visits. We’ve got limited slots the week of Halloween, and they fill up faster than a jack-o'-lantern on a windy porch!

In Health,

Dr Pomeroy, Maddy, Emma, Misty, & Jo