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Home › Articles › Nutrition and Health › Posture Perfect

Posture Perfect

Getting Kids to Straighten Up

By Lisa B. Samalonis

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  • You can comment on your own behavior, too. For example, "Oh there I go again sitting slouched" or "Boy, it sure feels good to sit up tall."
  • Make it a game. Start off by asking your children: Who can sit slouched? Who can sit tall? To practice sitting slouched, round the back as much as possible and let the chest sink. To practice sitting tall, rock the pelvis forward and lift the chest up. This teaches the child to recognize the difference between "good" and "bad" posture, without labeling it good or bad. They also learn how to control their posture automatically. "Once the child is able to find out how to sit tall, notice the good behavior or remind (without nagging) when they lose the 'good' posture," Goodemote says.
  • Use props. Kids love physioballs, which can be used to practice rocking down in a slouch and rocking up into good posture. Create a contest by asking who can sit the tallest the longest.
  • Imagine a balloon is lifting you up. "By far the best way I have found to explain 'good' posture to a child is to ask the child to imagine their head being lifted by a balloon," Goodemote says. "Describe how the balloon rises up and pulls their bodies up, but does not lift their feet off the ground. Most kids know that balloons fly up into the air and can imagine themselves being lifted up. This helps them straighten up without having to 'know' what good posture is."

    • "Bringing proper posture to the child's awareness is probably enough for now," Goodemote says. "If we don't start talking about it now, it may become a major problem in the future."

    Backpack Pain

    More and more school-age children are suffering from back pain. The No. 1 reason, says Temple pediatrician Dr. Andrea McCoy, is backpacks. To help your child avoid the unnecessary pain, use Dr. McCoy's tips on choosing the right backpack:

    • Select a pack with wide, padded shoulder straps that won't dig into shoulders, causing pain and restricting circulation.
    • Find one with a padded back, which protects against sharp edges on objects inside the pack and increases comfort.
    • Pack light. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the student's body weight, according to McCoy.
    • Always use both shoulder straps. "Slinging a backpack over one shoulder may look cool, but it can strain muscles," McCoy says. "Wearing a backpack on one shoulder may also increase curvature of the spine."


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