Tweeting Poor Posture

Two recent studies in the medical literature have concluded that there is an increasing trend in sagittal plane posture translations of the head, thorax, pelvis, and knees in children ages 4-12. This means that our children are starting to look like our great grandparents, from a postural standpoint, at a very young age.

Children are having an increased forward head translation. This means when you are looking at your child from the side, you would notice your child’s head sticking out more forward than straight up and down. This puts abnormal strain on their cervical spine which could eventually lead to spinal pain, headaches, changes in mood, changes in blood pressure, and even changes in lung capacity.

Some researchers believe the age of technology is to blame for a lot of these changes. With the increased use of computers and cell phones, our children spend a lot of time sitting and staring at computers, or keeping their heads down while texting to friends.

It is very important for your children to limit the time spent at the computer or texting each day. Computers and texting can make life more simple, but it could also have a drastic effect on our children’s health.

My advice would be to have your children checked by a chiropractor regularly, and to have your children practice postural exercises. For every 5-10 minutes spent texting or at the computer I recommend stopping to stretch. If you have questions about your child’s posture, call our office to schedule a consultation.