Back Problem Prevention In Kids
When you were a kid, were you nagged a lot by your mother to sit up straight and stop slouching? This is especially true if you are a guy because you’re supposed to be proud and have your shoulders back and chest out. However, looking back, aren’t you glad you listened to your mother’s advice? This is especially true when you consider how many kids have poor posture nowadays due to the proliferation of technology.
Computers are now an essential tool to have in the house for homework purposes but obviously, you can waste a lot of time surfing the Internet and playing video games on them too. And it’s not like the kids take regular breaks on them but some kids are spending hours at a time sitting hunched over the computer. On so many levels this is a problem: lack of exercise and physical activity, bad posture, and eye strain. Health care experts recommend taking a break every twenty minutes to stretch and give the eyes a rest.
And as stated, the lack of physical activity and being hunched over a computer presents a problem as well. Not only are kids getting fatter but their spinal characteristics now resemble that of older adults. Kids now are getting humps on their backs and rounded shoulders – and this is before they even hit puberty. If this is the case for your kid, it is recommended that you take him to see a physiotherapist to see what can be done to straighten out his back. Most likely, a posture corrector brace will be recommended but if that is too bulky, a back support girdle is also an option where it’s a thin compression undergarment that can pull the shoulders back and leave the chest open.
Your kid might also think that you are nagging him with regards to all this good posture business but just like you learned to appreciate your mother later on, so will your kid appreciate you in the future.