📚 Backpacks, Brains & Backbones: Get School-Ready with Chiropractic!

Is Your Child’s Backpack the Real Boss of Their Spine?

Let’s be honest—summer freedom is ending faster than sunscreen on a slip-n-slide. As you wrangle school supply lists, meal prep, and the mysterious disappearance of matching socks, don’t forget what’s carrying all that chaos: your child’s spine.

At our office, we see it every year—backpacks that weigh more than the kid carrying them, increased screen time, and growing bodies trying to keep up with the demands of a new school year. But here’s the thing no one’s talking about: a child’s nervous system is the control center for learning, behavior, immunity, and growth. So let’s make sure it’s not overloaded before the first bell rings.

Below are three back-to-school chiropractic tips you won’t find on a PTA Pinterest board—but they might just make the biggest difference for your child’s health and success this year.

✅ 1. Check the Feet Before the Spine

Wait—what? That’s right. Before we even get to the back, let’s talk about the base. Kids grow fast, and sometimes their feet don’t keep up in ways that support healthy posture.

A flat arch or uneven stride can cause muscle tension all the way up to the neck and shoulders. This can result in poor focus, restlessness in the classroom, and even tension headaches (and not the "my science teacher is boring" kind).

Zone 3 of the Zone Technique focuses on proper brain and nerve flow. Misalignment in the feet can distort proprioception (your child’s body’s sense of where it is in space), leading to miscommunication between the feet, spine, and brain. When we adjust the feet and ankles as part of a full-body assessment, we help your child stay grounded—literally and neurologically.

✅ 2. Encourage Floor Time, Not Just Desk Time

We know - getting kids off screens and into nature feels like trying to get glitter out of a carpet. But here’s a lesser-known trick: floor-based play and movement encourages core activation and spinal flexibility.

Instead of forcing posture correction at the dinner table, have your kids spend 10–15 minutes a day doing “animal walks” (think crab walks, bear crawls, or frog jumps). It’s fun, it builds coordination, and it stimulates Zone 5—muscle and movement regulation.

It’s basically PE, chiropractic-style. And yes, we count chasing the dog as cardio.

✅ 3. Start Chiropractic Before Symptoms Show Up

We’ve all been there - waiting until someone is sneezing, limping, or melting down before taking action. But here’s the secret: the nervous system starts whispering long before it screams.

Back-to-school chiropractic check-ins help identify tension and imbalance before they turn into problems like focus issues, bedwetting, digestive irregularities, or sleep disturbances. Chiropractic adjustments optimize Zone 4—digestion, Zone 1—glandular regulation, and more, helping children adapt to stress and growth with ease.

It’s kind of like brushing your teeth before a cavity forms. Prevention beats reaction—every time.

🤰👶Dr. Kayla: Family-Focused Care from Pregnancy to Playground

📅 Schedule Update: Dr. Kayla’s New Hours
Starting this month, Dr. Kayla will no longer be available on Mondays. She will still be available Wednesdays from 7:30 AM–12 PM & 1:30–5:30 PM, and Fridays from 9–11:30 AM!

If you’ve met Dr. Kayla, you know she has a gift for making patients feel comfortable and cared for—no matter their age. As a chiropractor trained in the Webster Technique, she specializes in gentle, effective care for pregnant moms. Her adjustments help reduce pelvic tension, improve balance, and encourage optimal fetal positioning—all of which support a smoother pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery.

But her care doesn’t stop after birth. Dr. Kayla is passionate about treating children, from newborns to teens. Whether it's assisting infants with latching, soothing colicky babies, or helping active kids improve focus, posture, or immune function, she customizes every adjustment to support their growth and development.

Many families have made seeing Dr. Kayla a regular part of their wellness routine. Moms feel supported during pregnancy, babies thrive early on, and older kids stay aligned, balanced, and ready to take on their world.

Bonus for parents on the go: Dr. Kayla also offers sports physicals—just in time for the new school year! She’ll make sure your young athlete is cleared and ready to perform both in the classroom and on the field.

🌿 Skip the Medicine Cabinet: Natural Support for Back-to-School Health

Colds, stress headaches, belly aches, and growing pains—school season brings all the hits. But before reaching for over-the-counter meds, consider these natural supplement alternatives available right in our office:

• Phytofed by DC Labs – A natural upper respiratory support formula to help with congestion and inflammation. No drowsiness, just easier breathing and sharper focus.

• Magnesium Complex by Chiropractor’s Blend – Supports muscle relaxation, better sleep, and calmer moods (yes, even after math homework).

• Formula 303 – A go-to for growing teens with tension headaches, jaw clenching, or stress-related muscle tightness.

• Bariatric Fusion Calcium Soft Chews (Strawberry Blast) – Kid-friendly and delicious, these support growing bones without any artificial junk.

Why go natural? Because your child’s developing body doesn’t need synthetic fillers or side effects. With whole-food-based supplements and chiropractic care, you’re supporting long-term health from the inside out.

💬 Share Your Story, Inspire Another Family

Has chiropractic care made a difference in your pregnancy, your child’s health, or your family’s overall wellness journey? We’d love to hear about it—and share it!

We’re currently gathering patient success stories to feature on our new website (coming soon!), and we’re especially looking for testimonials from our prenatal, pediatric, and family care patients. Whether it’s your baby’s first adjustment, your teen bouncing back from sports injuries, or your entire household staying healthier through the school year—your story matters.

You can send us your story by text, email, or even handwritten on paper during your next visit. And if you're open to it, we’d love to snap a quick photo and highlight your family right on our site. Your experience might be exactly what another parent or community member needs to hear to take the next step toward better health.

Thanks for being part of our chiropractic family—we can’t wait to share your story with the world!

In health,

Dr. Pomeroy, Dr. Kayla, Maddy, Emma, & Jo

📍 Pomeroy Chiropractic Wellness – Serving families in Wichita and Derby with heart-centered chiropractic care for over 20 years.
📞 Call us at 316-686-2020 to book an appointment today!