Healthy Posture Habits for Your Child

By Donna Stark

Your mom, teacher, and dance instructor were right when they kept telling you to straighten your back! Good posture is one of the core fundamentals to optimal health and is just as important as exercising regularly, consuming a healthy diet, and getting adequate sleep. It wouldn’t make any sense to ignore those big aspects of your health, yet so many people don’t give their posture a second thought, do they? The problem is that not enough young people really understand the consequences that poor posture can bring into their lives later on. This is why it is so important to get that message across early, before bad habits set in.

Creating Healthy Posture Habits for Your Child

It is always easier to maintain good habits than to change those bad habits that have been around for years, so start early with your children. Teaching them the hows and whys of proper posture will not only improve the health of their spine but will also improve their overall health and wellness. Here are some tips to pass along to your children that they can then carry into adulthood.

• Introduce them to yoga - Join a yoga class with your kids to avoid future spinal complications and loss of bone strength. Since many of the postures in yoga strengthen the muscles and reduce tension in the back, this is an easy way for your children to get on the path to optimal spinal health when they are young!
• Guide them with some simple exercises - One tip that you can teach your children to improve their posture is to practice shoulder and chest exercises. When the muscles in these areas get tight, it can lead to poor posture, so find some simple exercises that will help stretch them out.
• Teach them how to sit - It has been shown that sitting with your legs crossed can lead to back and neck pain, so teach your children how to sit well. Get rid of that slumping! Feet should be on the floor and shoulders should be pulled back for straighter posture.
• Get them up and moving - One way to improve your children’s posture is to encourage them to be active. Keep them off the couch or floor and away from their television and video games. Get them moving instead!
• Show them how to hold their phone - Help your children avoid text neck by showing them how to hold and use their phones properly. Teach them to keep screens at eye level, to take breaks, and to hold the phone to their ear with their hand instead of their shoulder.
• Sign them up for swim class - Swimming is a great way to help your children strengthen their back and core muscles. This will help them correct or maintain their good posture.

Habits That Will Last a Lifetime

By teaching your children healthy habits from the start, you will be setting them up for great health in the years to come, and there is no better gift than that. So go ahead, channel your mom’s voice from years ago, and say it … “sit up straight!”

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Franklin, Tenn.