Almost every second child in the age from seven to 14 years has taken a wrong body posture. Lack of exercise, sitting for long periods, too heavy or wrong school bags are some reasons. Due to these factors, every fifth child in the age from eleven to 17 years is even suffering at least once a week under back pain. There are some simple measures that prevent back pain and postural defects in childhood or teenage years.
More exercise instead of sitting
To ensure a healthy development of the adolescents at least two hours of movement are necessary:
- Flexibility and coordination are supported by romping around at the playground, climbing trees, driving a bicycle, hiking with the family, playing football ….
- Set an example and get things done by foot, if possible.
Correct sitting
- Your child’s working place in the room has to grow with the child. Hence, when buying a desk and a chair you should take care that they are easily adjustable in height. Also think about acquiring a height-adjustable standing table.
- A slightly slanting tabletop is favorable for the straightening of the spine.
- The chair should enable dynamic and secure sitting and have a flexible backrest as well as a tiltable seat.
- When sitting, the feet should firmly touch the ground; hip and knee have an angle of 90°.
- If it is not possible to put the feet on the ground, a footplate can create compensation.
Exercises for the back
They are fun, care for more flexibility and strengthen the musculature in the back:
- Up and down: For this exercise, your child needs a gymnastic mat or a soft underlay. Your child kneels in an upright position on the floor and takes both hands high above the head. Then it tries to alternately sit down left or right until the buttock is touching the mat. Keep the balance!
- Wild kicking: With this exercise, your child really can let off steam. At the same time it is exercising the abdominal muscles. Here, it is laying on the back and lifts its arms and legs in the air. Then, it kicks for about 30 seconds as wild as possible with arms and legs into the air. Take care that the lower back of your child remains on the floor and prevent a hollow back.
Is your child suffering under back pain think about acquiring an exercise ball. Sitting and lying on an exercising ball effectively trains your child’s back. The following exercise is perfect with an exercising ball:
- Back and forth: In this exercise, your child is laying on the back as well. Arms are beside the body with the palms downwards. Now, your child brings the heels on top of the exercise ball and lifts the back. Here, the legs and upper body form a straight line. The buttock is constantly contracted. Next step: your child is bending the knees and therewith rolling the ball in the own direction. There, the soles are on top of the ball. Now your child is straightening one leg and tries to hold this posture for 10 seconds. The leg is put on the ball again; straighten the leg and role the ball back again. Now start again and lift the other leg. Repeat this, four times each leg. This back and forth is strengthening the lower back and buttock.
Receive further information in our sleep-healthy-guidebook “sleep yourself young, fit and successful”, free of cost.
Image source: @deathtothestockphotos
This post is also available in / Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch in: German
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