How can I STOP this from happening to my kids?

Patients generally come to see me with the purpose of
improving their posture. It’s generally after they discover that poor posture
can lead to problems like pain, headaches, fatigue and just an overall decline
in health. I thought I would devote this blog entry to a frequently asked
question:

“How can I stop or prevent this from happening to my kids?”

Unfortunately I’m seeing more postural abnormalities in
children now more than ever before. A lot of kids are glued to their gaming
devices, carry school bags that are too big and too heavy for their body frames
and now with texting and cell phones it’s only getting worse. All of these
activities contribute to a forward head shift and rounded shoulders.

Core strength and flexibility are both really important.
Here are some tips and ideas for “playing” that will also work on posture:

-This one is really FUN!! Bear walking (hands
& feet), crab walking or just plain old crawling (pretend to be cat or
dog). Animal parades are very popular at our house J You can also create obstacle
courses in your house.

-Climbing is another great activity. It’s a bit
challenging this time of year, but once it starts to get nicer it will be
easier to get your kids to the playground. The more unstable the climbing
surface the more it will work their stabilizer muscles.

-Use an exercise ball. Kid’s love to sit on them
and bounce on them anyways. Moving around the ball in all different directions
(without holding on) will strengthen their core muscles.

-Wobble boards for kids!! Their fun, kids get a
kick out of seeing who can balance the longest.

-Swinging at the park. This naturally engages the
postural muscled between your child’s shoulder blades and their abs.

-Biking is also great for core strength.

-Keep W-sitting to a minimum; this tends to
shorten the hamstring muscles which can really alter your spinal alignment.

There really are so many different ways to promote good
posture in children. The idea is to do it naturally.

When was the last time you had your child’s posture analyzed?
Call 631-647-8324 or visit www.islipchiropractic.com
to schedule an appointment TODAY!

-Dr. Laura Bowen