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Posture Problems Straight Talk About Slouching

Straight Talk about Slouching

Considering the power of gravity and the flexibility of young bodies, it's no wonder kids slouch around and drape themselves over the furniture. But as sure as there will always be slouching kids, there will always be parents to holler 'Stop slouching!' Trouble is, that parental war cry usually falls on deaf ears. Gravity has the upper hand.

But how important is good posture?

' We are born with normal curves in our spine, and the intention of good posture is to support those natural curves and maintain them,' says Eli Glick, a physical therapist at Phycare Physical Therapy in Bala Cynwyd and Flourtown, Pennsylvania. 'If your child slouches when he walks--and leans back in a chair when he sits--he's increasing his chances of injuring his spine.'

The postural behavior your children are learning now will stay with them throughout their adult lives, according to Glick. Poor posture as a child can mean back pain as an adult.

But how can you help your kid straighten up when 'Quit slouching!' doesn't seem to be doing the trick? Here are some posture-improvement tips from the professionals.

Get your kid moving. 'Probably the best thing for every kid is to be active in some kind of nontraumatic athletic activity,' says Scott Haldeman, M.D., Ph.D., D.C., a chiropractor and associate clinical professor of neurology at the University of California at Irvine. 'My personal preference is swimming, since it's the least traumatic and exercises all muscles of the body, including those that could help improve posture.' Other good sports for posture improvement include soccer, basketball and running, according to Dr. Haldeman. But he doesn't recommend football.

Practice some sitting stretches. To improve her posture, your child should try some exercises while she's in a sitting position, according to Sharon DeCelle, a physical therapist in private practice in Memphis and Director of Physical Therapy at Hillhaven--Raleigh, a skilled nursing facility, also in Memphis. Have your child sit erect in a chair, well away from the back of the chair. Ask her to pull her shoulders together toward the back. She should then try to push her shoulders downward to bring them out of the slouch position.

Then ask your child to raise her arms over her head with her palms turned to the outside. She should move her arms down, bending her elbows, as though she were trying to put them into her back pockets, then hold for five to ten seconds.

'Have your child do this exercise several times in a row, three times a day,' suggests DeCelle. Even better, she says, do the exercise with your child, since most of us don't have optimal posture.

Talk about what's going on. 'At puberty, girls sometimes slouch to hide their development,' says DeCelle. 'Since girls grow faster than boys, they are often self-conscious about their height and their breasts,' points out DeCelle. Talk to your daughter about the changes she's experiencing, she suggests. Help her feel good about herself, and reassure her.

Go the sign-up route. One of the best things you can do to help your child overcome poor posture is to sign her up for some type of movement class: dance, gymnastics, ice skating or swimming lessons--anything the child enjoys and wants to learn, says DeCelle. 'These classes will help promote the child's awareness of her body, teach motor skills and instill self-confidence.'

Add motion to sitting. 'It's really important to encourage children not to stay seated in a chair for hour after hour,' points out Glick. Since long periods of sitting motionless puts a lot of stress on the spine, a child should stand up and move about as often as possible, preferably changing positions every half-hour.

When your child has to stay in his seat (in school, for instance), suggest that he take a 'stretch break' every 15 to 30 minutes, adds Dr. Haldeman. 'The child can stretch by leaning forward to touch the floor or leaning backward and stretching his legs out in front of him,' he says.

Raise the book. A child isn't doing his spine any good if he's hunched over a desk looking down at a book. ' When your child is doing homework, he should raise his book to an angle,' says Glick. It's handy to have a book stand on the desk. But if he doesn't have one, he can just lean the book he's reading against another pile of books.

Buy a child-size chair. The best furniture for children is a size that fits their bodies, notes Dr. Haldeman. 'If you sit in a chair that is either too big or too small, you're more likely to be squished into an uncomfortable position that could affect posture.' He encourages parents to get child-size chairs and tables that kids can use comfortably.

Have his eyesight checked. Poor eyesight can also contribute to bad posture if your child is forced to bend over his books just to see the print, says Glick. If your child hunches over his desk to peer closely at the page, have his vision checked.

Adjust the computer angle. If everyone in the family uses one computer, the screen may be set at a convenient height for adults rather than children. Show your child how to adjust the monitor so he can view it comfortably, suggests Glick.

Position a pillow. 'Proper seating is important for good posture,' says Glick. The best kind of chair provides support up and down the entire spine, including the small of the back. A straight-backed chair can be improved if you place a pillow behind the child's lower back for better support. If a regular bed pillow is too big, try a smaller sofa pillow or purchase a special back pillow.

Say okay to bare feet. Recent research has shown that children are more likely to have good posture if they go without shoes as often as possible and is safe, according to Janet Perry, a physical therapist with Rehabilitation Network in Portland, Oregon. 'That way they get more 'sensory information' from their feet and will have better walking and postural skills.' Children should be allowed to go shoeless around the house--and in other places where it's safe to walk barefoot--as a way to improve their posture, according to Perry.

Remind him to stop slouching. As simple as it may sound, 'You have to tell your child to stop slouching when he's slouching,' says Dr. Haldeman. Your reminders may be viewed as a hassle, but your child will get in the habit of standing up straight--at least when you're around.

Change your T V pose. 'Set a good example,' suggests Glick. If the parents and older siblings slouch, younger children are likely to slouch, too. 'Lying on the couch in front of the T V is a poor setup,' says Glick. If that's what Daddy and Mommy do, it will be hard to convince Junior to sit up straight.

Put a foot up. 'If your child has to stand somewhere for a long period of time, teach him to put one of his feet up on something for a while, and then switch back and forth, putting one foot up for a while, then the other,' says DeCelle. Standing with one foot up takes some strain off the back.