Posture Advice for Kids

The British Chiropractic Association has produced a helpful and informative leaflet called “straighten up UK” for posture there are components aimed at both children and adults.

In our current society we are spending longer periods of time at electronic devises (like the one I’m writing this article from) and spending less time outdoors, this is particularly noticeable for children. There have been a number of negative effects found with children spending long periods of time at a screen, including

“In 2015 Cambridge University researchers recorded the activities of more than 800 14-year-olds and analysed their GCSE results at 16. Those spending an extra hour a day on screens (TV, computer, games console, phone) saw a fall in GCSE results equivalent to two grades overall.
On average, the 14-year-olds said they spent four hours of their leisure time each day watching TV or in front of a computer.
An additional hour of screen-time each day was associated with 9.3 fewer GCSE points at 16 – the equivalent of dropping a grade in two subjects. Two extra hours of screen-time was associated with 18 fewer points – or dropping a grade in four subjects. Even if pupils spent more time studying, more time spent watching TV or online, still harmed their results, the analysis suggested.”

So what is it suggested we do? the American Academy of Paediatrics has updated and released their stance on “screen time” i have included the link to the article here  so please feel free to click and read through this article. It seems their stance has become more liberal with screen time, in order to keep up with the times.

In a review of the available evidence one author found a positive association between screen time and mental health issues, which is further supported by a Australian study which found a positive link between poor posture, increased BMI and depression.

So, never mind simply neck and back pain, we owe it to ourselves to straighten up, as well as our children.

Here is the straighten up UK leaflet from the BCA

SU-UK-Leaflet-Kids-NEW