Good posture is a habit every child should pick up, as a healthy spine is critical to staying healthy. Your spine provides structural strength for your body and protects your nervous system; hence, proper posture is necessary so that your muscles and joints can work optimally.
Signs of a bad posture
To assess your child’s posture, have them stand in front of a blank wall with their head, shoulders, and buttocks touching the wall. Ask them to close their eyes and nod their head up and down. Afterwards, ask them to stop moving while maintaining a neutral position with their eyes still closed.
If you notice any of the following signs, your child may be suffering from poor posture:
1. Their head is tilted to one side.
2. One shoulder is higher than the other.
3. Their body is slanted to one side.
4. Their feet or knees are rotated.
5. Their eyes are not aligned with their shoulders.
6. Their shoulders are rounded forwards.
7. Their lower back is excessively curved.
Possible causes of bad posture
Some everyday activities and habits cause poor posture, including:
- Relying on one side of the body to perform activities, such as carrying a bag on one shoulder. Constant reliance on one side conditions the body to stay in a particular position, causing one side to be overactive.
- Playing sports with improper posture may injure the spine, causing spinal bones to be misaligned.
- Studying at an improperly adjusted desk or chair may lead to slouching.
- Consistently looking down on mobile devices for an extended period may lead to a “text neck,” where the neck sticks forward, and the head is placed in front of the shoulders.
- Mental stress causes breathing patterns to change, causing the muscles in the back to strain and the shoulders to hunch.
Consequences of bad posture
Unfortunately, your child’s health may deteriorate without proper posture.
Firstly, they are more likely to develop back, neck, and shoulder pain. Poor posture places unwanted strain on their upper and lower back and their posterior muscles. Furthermore, increased pressure is placed on their neck muscles when they slouch, as their muscles attempt to keep their head balanced, thus causing tension and pain.
Secondly, slouching leads their abdominal organs to compress, which may slow the digestive tract and lead to stomach issues.
Thirdly, poor posture may reduce their lung function and capacity. As they cannot take in enough air into their lungs when breathing, their vital organs may not be able to receive the oxygen they need.
Fourthly, their muscles and joints may tighten if their posture is poor, thus keeping their body from receiving the necessary circulation.
Additionally, incorrect posture leads to uneven weight distribution that may cause extra strain on other parts of their body, including their knees. Their knees may also twist improperly when their body is not aligned correctly. Hence, they may experience knee pain.
Furthermore, bad posture may distort the natural curves of their spine. Their spine naturally forms an “S” shape, but this may change with poor posture, putting excessive pressure on the wrong position. Over time, this may reduce the spine’s ability to absorb shock, causing the body to be at higher risk of severe injuries.
To mitigate the pain and spine misalignment caused by poor posture, you should bring your child for regular chiropractic care. With chiropractic management, practitioners can get to the root of the issue to relieve tension and discomfort.
Conclusion
Maintaining good posture is vital to staying healthy. Ensure your child’s spine remains aligned and their body works optimally by reminding them to sit and stand properly. Another way to boost the health of your child’s spine is to encourage them to go for chiropractic care.
Healing Hands Chiropractic offers lower back pain treatment and knee pain treatment through its wide range of chiropractic services. We also conduct corporate wellness programs in Singapore to boost employee health and productivity. For more information about our programmes and managements, head over to https://healinghands.com.sg/ to find out!
