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Posture Perfect
Getting Kids to Straighten Up
By Lisa B. Samalonis
"Children should sit in front of a video game or television for no more than 20 minutes at most," Dr. Fortuna says. She recommends frequent walking breaks, which are better for the back and eyes. Becoming involved with sports activities also helps develop muscular skills as well as self-confidence.
Finally, if the child's posture does not seem to improve, mention it to the doctor. "Sometimes there is a medical problem, such as scoliosis," Dr. Fortuna says.
Children do not often understand why posture matters because they rarely experience back pain, unlike many adults, says Matthew Goodemote, radio host of Back Talk and author of the e-book, Tips for Back Pain.
Kids under 5 typically have good posture. "Most kids will naturally sit up tall if placed in the middle of the floor," says Goodemote, adding that it is OK for them to sit slouched sometimes. "The main concern I have is long times spent in front of TVs and computer games. This is where time limits need to be set. Most kids automatically move out of 'harmful' postures, but setting a time limit can help make sure."
Goodemote has the following suggestions for parents:
- Lead by example. Parents should talk about their own poor postural habits and/or lead by example. Mentioning proper postural habits in daily conversations helps to bring it into the child's awareness. For example, you can say, "Oh, look, Mr. Green stands so tall" or "Poor Mrs. Jones, no wonder her back hurts so much; just look at how slouched she sits."
