What is Poor Posture in Kids?
For generations, parents have been telling children not to slouch and to stand up straight. Unfortunately, this advice is not always easy for children to follow. There are many reasons kids can get poor posture—hunching over to do homework, tilting the head forward to use electronic devices, poor sleep habits, or not enough physical activity.
Postural defects occur when the body is misaligned and held in an unnatural position. You can usually tell if someone has bad posture—the head may thrust forward, the neck may be compressed, the shoulders hunched or rounded, and there may be a curve to the neck or back. There are many adults with bad posture, but the problem poses more serious health risks for children because their musculoskeletal system is still growing and developing.
Signs and Symptoms of Poor Posture
Aside from standing or sitting in an unnatural position, children with poor posture may experience aches and pains in the head, neck, jaw, shoulders, or back. Poor posture can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, may make it difficult to focus, or may contribute to headaches.
In more serious cases, as children grow older, poor posture can lead to impaired lung function, poor circulation, constipation, digestive problems, and a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.
How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Posture
The upper cervical spine is comprised of the top seven vertebrae, which sit right below the skull and go down the neck. These vertebrae have important functions: they support the base of the skull and the weight of the head, and they make the mobility of the head and neck possible. They protect the central nervous system right near where the brain stem connects to the spinal cord, and where clusters of nerves run to vital organs to transmit signals to and from the brain.
Poor posture, among other things, can cause a misalignment of the upper vertebrae, causing a host of other problems to cascade down the back. When the spine is misaligned, the body shifts its weight to compensate, putting excessive pressure on other joints, ligaments, and muscles. This causes tension, stress, weakness, aches, and pains in different places throughout the body.
In addition, misaligned vertebrae can cause nerve compression, which may disrupt vital signals between the brain and the body's major systems.
How We Treat Poor Posture in Kids
Our upper cervical spine expert, Dr. Gordon Elder, recommends children with poor posture receive treatment while they are still young. Not only will this help alleviate any symptoms or problems they are experiencing from postural defects, but it will help prevent the harmful effects that bad posture may have in the future.
Dr. Elder is a specialist in the Blair Chiropractic Technique. Unlike traditional chiropractic methods, which involve jarring snaps and scary twists, the Blair technique is gentle and uses minimal force. The Blair technique is a modern technique that is safe and non-invasive—perfect for children.
Treatments begin with Dr. Elder screening your child through consultation and with advanced digital diagnostic tools. Once any misalignments are detected, the doctor can calculate and apply precise, quick corrections.
The next step in treating poor posture involves a series of quick follow-up exams to ensure the vertebrae remain aligned and to monitor the body's natural healing processes along the way. After that, the doctor recommends regular chiropractic checkups to help keep your child's spine healthy, strong and properly aligned as he continues to grow.
If you're worried about your child's posture, call us. We see clients in Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, and El Paso in Texas, as well as Hobbs in New Mexico.
Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.