Why you need correct posture

Correct and incorrect posture.

If you want to build a house, you will definitely make sure that at the very beginning you lay a solid and strong foundation on which it will stand for centuries. In this sense, posture is the basis of the foundations and the foundation, without which it is impossible to build a beautiful, healthy, strong and enduring body.

Before you start training, work on “problem areas” or plan your result for the next race, you need to lay a solid and strong foundation that will withstand these loads - correct posture. This is not the most popular topic in the training process, and not everyone pays due attention to it. For many, it's mostly a matter of looks. A straight back and open shoulders are beautiful, but is it really necessary?

By the way, check out this one about what the same person looks like with good and bad posture:

Why do people usually have bad posture

Take a look around. How many people do you see with "correct" posture? 1 out of 10? 1 out of 100? Our life is becoming more comfortable, and the spine is less and less healthy. Let's omit the obvious hypotheses on the topic of a sedentary lifestyle and turn directly to anatomy. Posture disorders occur due to an imbalance of antagonist muscles, that is, muscles that act in opposite directions.

Normally, the muscles in front and behind are in a balanced harmonious state, contract and stretch during different movements and return to normal tone at rest when the person is standing straight.

When some muscles are stretched, for example, the muscles of the back (trapezius), then their antagonists (pectoral muscles) are reduced. If the back muscles are constantly in a state of stretching (stooped back), they lose the ability to return to normal tone, and their antagonists, the pectorals, in turn, “get used” to being in a contracted state all the time.

Poor posture options. Right - correct posture.

This entails the exclusion of the abdominal muscles (protruded abdomen) and a decrease in the tone of the gluteus maximus. Their role is taken over by the muscles of the lower back and the back of the thigh, which are now constantly in hypertonicity. The rectus femoris, on the other hand, is stretched. The muscles of the lower leg are reduced, the plantar fascia is shortened. All of these are links in the same chain.

Kenneth Hansraj, head of spinal surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, in a published study, provides this picture illustrating the stress on the spinal spine due to the posture in which a person holds his head:

Read more in and what it threatens for health.

7 Dangerous Consequences of Poor Posture

1. Round back and inward-turned shoulders limit mobility chest . This directly affects breathing. The breathing of a stooped person is superficial, he does not breathe deeply, his lungs do not work at full strength. As a result, the body does not receive enough oxygen, which is obviously vital for all biochemical processes in the body. The results of this study () show that stooping reduces vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV) - indicators that determine the efficiency of the airway.

2. It is especially important that in this case, an insufficient amount of oxygen enters the brain! The brain of a stooped person is in constant oxygen deficiency. This leads to a decrease in cognitive abilities, energy levels, the mood becomes chronically lethargic and lethargic. In this study (), the dependence of various cognitive processes on posture was established. Study participants with better posture showed top scores in memory tests.

3. During training, insufficient oxygen supply to the body, which is the main participant in the energy production process (in aerobic mode) reduces athletic performance(and in general can be dangerous).

4. When stooping, the back muscles are overly stretched, and the pectoral muscles (in particular, pectoralis minor), on the contrary, are excessively contracted and put pressure on the lymphatic ducts that are under them. This leads to a violation of the circulation of the lymphatic fluid. Lymph is responsible in the body for immunity and nutrition of the body with nutrients. Violation of both processes can lead to a wide variety of diseases.

5. Incorrect posture will definitely affect the position internal organs and can lead to their displacement, lowering down.

6. The shift in the center of gravity, which is located in the abdomen, leads to even greater deformation of the support locomotive system, the formation of incorrect stereotypes of movements. Firmly strengthening in memory with repeated repetition, especially in cyclic sports (running, cycling), they only aggravate the situation. Vicious circle.

7. Muscle imbalance, violation of the position of the skeleton, internal organs, neurovascular bundles, and so on as a whole changes the course of biochemical processes in the body. These processes determine our health, both physical and psychological. The human psyche is also nothing but interaction chemical elements, which determines our behavior and decisions. Our decisions determine our lives. Our happiness literally depends on posture. And this is not a metaphor. The results of this study () show how posture affects emotions and vice versa, how the emotional state changes posture.

Emotions of happiness, success, confidence and optimism in more inherent in people with a straight back, bare shoulders. When participants in the study felt angry, it was immediately reflected in the body position: neck forward, shoulders up and in, tension in the knee joints, crossed arms.

How to correct posture?

Before self-medicating, check the condition of the musculoskeletal system with a doctor. Stoop can be caused by displacement of the vertebrae, scoliosis and some other disorders are accompanied by torsion (twisting and deformation) of the spine. Such issues need to be addressed under the supervision of a specialist.

If there are no such problems with the spine, but muscle-fascial imbalance remains, you can already work with this with the help of special physical exercises, and simply in everyday life: re-learn how to walk, sit, stand, bend over and so on, that is, change your motor stereotypes. A very non-trivial task for an adult, but there is no workaround.

7 exercises for correct posture that you need to do every day 1. Learn to stand correctly.

Wall exercise:

Go to the wall, lean against: heels, buttocks, back, back of the head and, if possible, lean your hands, trying (as far as possible!) to touch the wall with both elbows and palms. Hold this position for a few seconds. Remember the position of the back and, having already moved away from the wall, try to maintain this posture as long as possible. When you find yourself “drooping” again, go up to the wall and repeat.

2. Learn to sit properly. Keep these tips in mind to keep your back straight while sitting: - sit not on the coccyx, but on the ischial bones, - stop sitting cross-legged- this is very harmful for posture, increases the load on the joints, destabilizes the pelvis, leads to sprains.

As a rule, if it is more convenient for a person to sit cross-legged than with straight legs, this indicates weak gluteal muscles, and such a posture helps to stabilize the position of the body, but leads to very unfavorable consequences.

Ideally, the legs are bent at the knees at a right angle, the feet are parallel to each other. - put a small roller or special orthopedic pillow for the lower back.

An exercise : Sit on an unstable surface. This automatically activates the stabilizer muscles, strengthens them and aligns the back. At home, you can sit on a fitball. For the office, get a softball that can be placed on a chair or a specially designed unstable seat. Use this several times a day or constantly.

3. Learn to walk correctly While walking, climbing stairs, descending - make sure that the feet are directed parallel to each other, and not apart or inward. Incorrect position of the feet disrupts the functioning of the entire musculoskeletal system. Socks turned outward or inward change the angle of movement in the knee, hip joint, as a result, the load on themselves is taken by completely different muscles that are intended for this.

This is how the large and medium gluteal glutes, which should be mainly responsible for walking, are turned off from work, instead of them, all the work is carried out by the adductor muscles of the thigh. A decrease in tone in these muscles leads to destabilization of the pelvis, which in turn leads to problems in the lower back and further up the chain.

The exercise is to follow your gait and try to put your feet correctly.

4. Learn to bend over, sit down and stand up correctly. Keep your back straight throughout all of these movements. To practice this skill, do squats with a stick behind your back: 2 points of contact - the back of the head and the sacrum. Grab the stick with your hand around your lower back and move your lower back towards your knuckles. Begin to squat - in such a way as to maintain this position (nape, lower back, sacrum):

Do 10-15 repetitions daily for 2-3 sets.

5. Strengthen your deep back muscles. The most obvious (but not the only possible) exercise for this is the plank. Also, many other exercises from Pilates and yoga are largely aimed at the formation of these particular muscles.

Another very useful and simple exercise that you can do every day, anywhere: drop your shoulders down and back. Pull your shoulder blades together and tighten the muscles between your shoulder blades to hold this position for a few seconds. Relax. Repeat 10-15 times for 2-3 sets.

6. Stretch/massage your chest muscles. Since these muscles are in hypertonicity all the time, they need to be gently kneaded and relaxed. Simply pulling in one direction is less effective than, for example, rolling in all directions with a massage ball. This improves the elasticity of the fasciae and helps to straighten the shoulders and open the chest.

7. Use self-massage techniques with massage rolls. Often, a decrease in muscle tone, their excessive stretching is a consequence of the presence a large number trigger (pain) points that weaken muscle fibers. Massage with rolls helps to remove trigger points, after which it becomes much easier and safer to strengthen muscles.

Nothing in the body just happens. Any deviation from the norm has its own functional significance, performs a specific task. Whether it's a curvature of the spine, overweight or underweight, flat feet, whatever. Any such problem does not exist in the body in isolation. On the one hand, it compensates for some other problem.

For example, one of the functions excess weight it may be just compensation for postural disorders, when adipose tissue is a kind of shock absorber for the spine. In this case, sudden weight loss additional work to strengthen the muscular corset can lead to backfire for the back. On the other hand, one problem leads to a chain reaction of other compensations and violations.

Imperfections form our individuality until they begin to destroy it physically.

In this sense, posture is the basis of the foundations and the foundation, without which it is impossible to build a beautiful, healthy, strong and enduring body.

Start right now - from the very first exercise . Come up to the wall, lean, stretch the top of your head up, pull your stomach in, lower your shoulders. Feel how in a few seconds you have already become slimmer, more cheerful, even more determined. Feel a surge of new energy with every breath you take. Remember this feeling in order to return to it again and again, until a beautiful correct posture becomes absolutely natural and the most comfortable body position for you.

Of course, everyone has heard about posture since childhood. The usual phrases of parents: “Sit up straight!”, “Do not slouch”, “Keep your back straight”, “Well, what kind of posture do you have!”. Many talk about it: parents, teachers, and doctors. So what is posture, how it is formed correctly, and why it is so important to keep it. This article will be discussed today.

Definition of the term

Now we will find out what posture is and what it can be. So, this word means the ability of a person to keep his body in different positions. Posture can be of two types:

1. Correct.

2. Wrong.

In the first case, this is the usual natural posture of a standing person. Here, people without unnecessary active stress can hold the body and head correctly. A person with impeccable posture has an easy gait, his shoulders are slightly lowered and laid back, his stomach is tucked up, his chest is straightened.

In the second case, a person does not know how to properly hold his body, walks and stands on half-bent limbs, stoops, lowers his head and shoulders, sticks out his stomach. Incorrect posture not only spoils the figure, but also harms his health. With this manner of behaving, many inhabitants of our planet complicate the activity of organs, which ultimately results in a continuous bouquet of various ailments.

Signs of correct posture

The position of the head and spine is straight.
The outlines of the shoulders and neck should be symmetrical.
The blades are on the same level.
The clavicle line should be horizontal.
Same leg length.
The position of the buttocks should be symmetrical.

What is posture, we have defined. Now is the time to consider how a person can find out on his own whether his back and figure are in order or not.

Own diagnostics

You need to go to the wall and, turning your back, press your head, shoulder blades and buttocks against it. In this case, the heels must be set aside a few centimeters from the wall. Now you should try to insert your hand between the wall and the lower back, while not tearing your shoulders and head off the surface. If you succeeded, then there are no problems with posture.

Reasons for violation

What is correct posture, of course, now you need to determine what factors lead to its violation. The reasons must be sought in childhood, and these may be such circumstances:

Incorrect body position during classes (stoop, throwing one leg over the other).

Spending most of the time in front of the TV, at the computer.

Wearing heavy briefcases on your back, which make your posture wrong.

Formation of correct posture in a child

In boys and girls, the spine at a young age only forms its curves, the muscles form gradually, and it is easier for a baby than for an adult to get used to a certain position of the body in space.

The formation of posture in children must necessarily take place under the supervision of an adult. How should parents help their child maintain this important indicator of physical development? To do this, you need to follow these simple recommendations:

Mom and dad should monitor how their baby is sitting, whether his position is correctly chosen during the lessons. The child should not slouch, keep his shoulders not at the same level, lean to one side.

It is necessary to properly equip the son or daughter. It is important to choose a table, as well as a chair that would suit the height of the offspring. It is also necessary to provide the student proper lighting desktop (local as well as general).

You need to buy high-quality shoes for your child, which would not press, do not constrain movements.

It is important to get your offspring the right backpack, briefcase (preferably with an orthopedic back), and not put a lot of books and unnecessary things there.

It is necessary to introduce the child to morning exercises. very important during the growth of the baby. You can take walks - they will also benefit posture.

It is advisable to enroll your son or daughter in swimming classes, because it has a great effect on the correct habitual position of the child's body.

You can learn to temper yourself and teach your offspring before this event.

It is important that the baby eats properly. The food should contain fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, greens.

An important factor in the development of correct posture is the selection of furniture for sleeping. Boys and girls should rest on hard mattresses, and the position in which the children sleep is also important. It is advisable to doze off on your stomach, and preferably on your back, and not curl up.

We must not forget about the benefits of the sun, because, as many people know, it helps to strengthen bones and form the correct posture. Therefore, it is necessary to go out in warm sunny weather with your child (but not in the very sun) and engage in interesting and healthy activities (playing football, basketball, tennis, etc.).

Posture and flat feet: are these concepts related?

In the human body, everything is closely interconnected, therefore, if a failure occurs in one organ, then the rest also suffer. This can be said about flat feet, which leads to How does this happen?

With a smooth foot, the center of gravity changes and the person leans back, as a result, balance is disturbed, and when walking, the body leans forward. A chain reaction is formed, which leads to the development of stoop. Naturally, flat feet are not a fatal disease, however, if it is present, then a person experiences a lot of other problems: his legs quickly get tired, his knees suffer. Therefore, in order not to start such a chain reaction, it is necessary to monitor your child since childhood; you need to watch how he walks, visit a pediatric orthopedist. And if the specialist finds any problems with the legs, then all the doctor's recommendations should be followed so that the offspring does not have flat feet, which subsequently leads to a number of problems.

Now you know what posture is and what consequences an incorrect manner of sitting, standing, lying can lead to. We found out what recommendations should be followed by people who want to keep even and We also learned about the connection between flat feet and posture.

Goals: to form an idea of the correct posture, to identify the causes of posture disorders, to give recommendations for the prevention of posture disorders.

Posture- this is complex concept about the habitual position of the body of a casually standing person.

Why does a person need correct posture?

Everyone knows that at one time the pupils of strict governesses wore books on their heads, tied strands of their hair to their belts (forgetting and hunched over, they involuntarily cried out in pain, as their hair was stretched). This is not a description medieval torture, these are just activities aimed at ensuring that posture does not deteriorate. Wise governesses not only provided their pupils with a beautiful proud posture, but also the general physical health of the body.

At the Institute for Noble Maidens (XIX century), cool ladies never tired of reminding their pupils: “Sit down, legs together, hands in front of you, back straight, neck, nape and buttocks strictly in one line.” Girls were taught to "keep their backs". Pupils came out of the walls of this venerable institution slender.

Why did young people endure such "torments"? The answer is simple: they wanted to have good posture. Ladies and gentlemen never allowed themselves to relax and slouch, for example, at a ball or a secular dinner. “Noble posture”, “suspend” - these words are still associated with chivalry and beauty.

Correct posture makes a person's figure beautiful and contributes to the normal functioning of the motor apparatus and the whole organism. Correct posture is a requirement aesthetic culture and health.

Everything in the human body is interconnected. Quite often, deterioration in health occurs due to non-observance of correct posture. The process of posture formation begins with the very early age. In most cases, posture disorders are acquired.

Posture deteriorates for several reasons:

- weak development of the back muscles, habitual incorrect position of the body;

- incorrect position of the body in the course of various, often repetitive, activities;

- sitting at the table, hunched over;

- movement, hunched over, or when one hand is in the pocket (there is an artificial misalignment of the shoulder girdle and impaired posture);

- various congenital diseases, both internal organs and the musculoskeletal system, in the presence of which the posture is far from ideal;

- unilateral classes in some sports, etc.

Currently, 95-97% of children suffer from various diseases, among which the largest number is represented by disorders of the musculoskeletal system - including posture defects.

What is the danger of bad posture? The spine is the basis (framework) of the whole organism, when the spine suffers, the whole organism suffers. With scoliosis, the chest is deformed, ventilation of the lungs worsens, the work of other internal organs is disrupted. Height may be reduced. Relieve back pain and headaches.

How to identify bad posture? How to check your posture?

We check the presence of stoop.

With a measuring tape, we measure the distance between the extreme points of the shoulders, first from the side of the chest, and then from the side of the back. If the results are approximately the same - everything is in order, if the second number is much larger than the first - there is a stoop.

Check for curvature of the spine.

Stand with your back to the wall, press your heels, buttocks and shoulder blades firmly against the wall. In this position, the palm should pass between the wall and the lower back. If a fist passes, the posture is broken.

What contributes to the correct formation of the correct posture in schoolchildren?

The right choice of a school bag, which should have many compartments for even distribution of weight and a fairly firm but not rigid back, no wider than the child’s shoulders and no more than 30 cm high. The assembled backpack should not exceed 10% of the baby’s weight. Do not allow your child to carry a briefcase on one shoulder, otherwise he will not avoid a violation of his posture!

The optimal position of the table for work, which is desirable to put near the window, so that the light falls on the left. The table and chair should be according to age - the legs are at right angles, the distance from the eyes to the notebook, books is 30-35 cm. The student should not lean on the table with his chest.

Both feet of the child should be firmly on the floor, and the angle between the thigh and lower leg should be straight.

The back must be kept straight, hands on the desk so that the child does not lean on the edge of the table with his chest. Between the chest and the desk, it is necessary to maintain a distance in the palm of your hand.

The correct slope of the notebook is important. The health of the child also depends on the lighting. Light should fall from the left side.

From time to time, a student needs to change his place in the class, move from one row of desks to another. This allows you to look at chalkboard from different angle of view.

At least once a year, it is necessary to check the eyesight of an ophthalmologist - developing myopia can also affect posture - the student bends over textbooks and notebooks to see what is written and bends his back.

Control the duration of classes: 45 minutes of work - at least 15 minutes break. It is better if the child will perform at this time physical exercises. It is very important to allocate time during the day for walks in the fresh air and active, outdoor games.

How to work on a computer? The monitor should be placed in the center, in front of the eyes, so that the child looks straight. It is advisable to purchase a chair with an ordinary back, and not with armrests, rotating around its axis, since the student will not be able to fix the position of his body. Dimensions computer desk and the chair should be appropriate for the height of the child. The child must have a solid footing.

What to do in case of violation of posture?

Of course, prevention is better than any cure. From early childhood, swimming, physiotherapy exercises, health massage courses and so on. But if the posture is already broken, then complex treatment is necessary. For posture correction, spinal traction, massage, water procedures, prescribe special orthopedic insoles, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy. Need to restore correct work back muscles and their tone, affect the spine itself.

Rules for maintaining correct posture

- Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles of the body.

- It is correct to sit at a table, a desk, on a chair, do not stoop.

– When carrying heavy loads, you need to evenly load your hands.

- If you carry a satchel or briefcase in one hand, one shoulder will become lower than the other.

- Sleep on a hard bed with a low pillow.

- Sit with your back as straight as possible. It is important to avoid uncomfortable postures. Every 15 minutes of sitting at the table, you need to change your position, move your arms and legs, stretch, and every 30 minutes you must get up, walk or lie down.

- stand and perform various work should also be done with the back as straight as possible. It is important to find sufficient support for the head, torso, arms and legs. After a long standing, it is necessary to lie down (unload the spine).

– Every day look at yourself in the mirror, which will tell you what your posture is.

Exercises for the formation of correct posture

STANDING POSITION

Stand with your back to the wall, touching it with the back of your head, shoulder blades, pelvis and heels. Maintain this position for 5 s. Remember it and, trying not to break it, take a step forward, then back.

Standing against the wall, pull the leg, bent at the knee, with your hands to the stomach, without losing contact with the wall.

How many children have you met who have? I rarely see these kids. Basically, everyone stoops, pulls their heads into their shoulders, the view is not very beautiful, and most importantly, not very healthy. Unfortunately, sometimes parents do not pay attention to this problem at all, they believe that it will pass by itself, as many people like to say, it will “outgrow”. But not everything is so simple. A habit is developed that is very difficult to break later, and such an unhealthy posture affects health very much. Therefore, you should not ignore the problem of impaired posture in children, but make sure that it develops, and the sooner you start solving this problem, the better!

Correct posture and causes of poor posture in children

Let's first understand what is correct posture? How to determine if a child has correct posture or not? good posture- this is a position of the body in which the supporting ligaments and muscles have a minimum load, this is a balanced state of the body in which the load is evenly distributed on the spine. Correct posture is not only the spine, but also a muscular corset that supports the spine in the correct position. A person with a beautiful posture immediately attracts the attention of others: a forward look, a proudly raised head, a tucked up stomach, a raised chest, and straightened shoulders. Is this similar to your child's posture? What about yours?

Let's work on posture together. This is very, and it will not be so boring: watch the posture of the child and your own, it is even possible for the child to follow your posture. And first, go up to the wall and check the correctness of your posture and the posture of the baby. Stand with your back against the wall, press the back of your head, shoulder blades against it, while straightening your shoulders, then press your buttocks and heels. Everything should fit snugly against the wall. Well, how does it feel? It is very unusual and difficult to keep the body in this position, but it is exactly the right one. If any of the parts of the body does not reach the wall at all, then there is no need to fall into despair, just now you know what to work on!

Why do people need correct posture?

P Correct posture plays a huge role in maintaining the health of many organs and parts of the human body. It performs the following functions:

- maintains the correct position of the bones and joints, while the muscles work correctly;
— reduces wear of surfaces of joints;
- reduces the load on the spine in all its departments;
- prevents the occurrence of various clamps in the spine in case of its incorrect position;
- reduces fatigue due to more effective work muscles, and less energy expenditure;
- prevents the occurrence of back pain and muscle pain;
- contributes to the normalization of the work of all internal organs;
- improves appearance.

For correct posture you need:

- so that the muscles are plastic;
- the joints had good mobility;
- good muscle tone;
- developed back muscles both to the right and to the left of the spine;
- Conscious attitude to your correct posture.

That is, to develop the correct posture, the body needs to be prepared a little. To do this, it is important to do at least a small set of elementary exercises every day.

Correct posture. Test

So, we check whether your child is standing correctly, it is also not harmful for parents to test themselves.

1. Keep your head straight. The chin is directed forward. No need to tilt your head to the right, left, forward, throw back.

2. The earlobes are located on a line passing through the middle of the shoulder.

3. We straighten our shoulders, this is easiest to do by doing a very simple exercise: the shoulders need to be raised up, pulled back and lowered. This is the position they should remain. Periodically it is worth monitoring their position by performing such an exercise.

4. Knees and back must be aligned.

5. The top of the head is pulled up, as if someone is pulling on a string attached to the top of the head, but the shoulders do not rise.

6. The abdomen should be pulled in, but in such a way that it does not interfere with normal breathing. At the same time, the pelvis is pulled forward, it should not bulge back.

7. The foot is fully planted on a flat surface. No need to rise on your toes, roll on your heels or to the sides.

Have you tried? Is it difficult to accept such a position? The harder it is, the more incorrect your posture is. The more often you control yourself, take the correct position and try to maintain it, the faster it will become habitual for you, the healthier and stronger your body will be, and for a child this is simply a necessity.

Causes of postural disorders in children

What should be, like figured out! Now let's talk about the causes of posture disorders, because only by eliminating the causes, you can fix something.

Parents are obliged to carefully control the lifestyle of the child. It is necessary to take into account absolutely all the nuances and subtleties, problems arise quickly, and it takes quite a long time to eliminate them. What needs to be paid attention to maintain the correct posture in a child?

1. Desktop and workplace

Properly organized and equipped workplace very important. Furniture must be appropriate for the student's height. When the child is sitting on a chair, they should be completely on the floor, they should not hang. At school, sometimes the desks do not correspond to the height of the students, but, in this case, everything must be correct at home. We have already said, it is worth reading and creating right conditions not only for the study of the child, but also for the health of his spine.

2. Hearing and vision disorders

It is necessary to control the state of vision and hearing of the child. The deterioration of these very important functions often leads to the fact that the student begins to sit incorrectly at the desk, which leads to a violation of posture and the development of scoliosis.

3. Uncomfortable baby clothes

Children's clothing must be sized. It should not hamper movement, crush the body in any places, hang in a shapeless bag. Uncomfortable clothing can cause posture problems in a child. In order to be comfortable, the baby sometimes has to take a position in which the posture cannot be called correct.

4. The right backpack, satchel, school bag

A school backpack is usually always too heavy. And the student must wear it every day. It is simply necessary to teach the child to carry a backpack or satchel behind his back, not on one shoulder and not in his hand, otherwise scoliosis can develop very quickly. The weight of the backpack should be evenly distributed over the entire back. A bag that needs to be placed on one shoulder is not suitable for carrying an unbearable load of knowledge!

5. Pay attention to the pillow the child sleeps on.

It doesn't have to be huge. The pillow must support cervical region spine in a natural position, avoid deflection of the spine during sleep. We have already talked about this in the article.

Correct posture. Prevention of posture disorders

Remember, prevention is always better, more effective and cheaper than cure! What can be done to prevent postural problems in children?

1. The right bed

The bed should be neither hard nor soft. It should have a rigidity appropriate for the weight and height of your child. Perfect option – orthopedic mattress. About choosing a pillow, I hope you have already read and know how to choose it.

2. Quality shoes

A child's shoes are also of great importance for a child's posture. Shoes should not be tight or too big. The position of the spine depends on how the child's legs are positioned while walking.

3. Gymnastics, regular exercise

Gymnastics should be daily. Better yet, have your child play some kind of sport. For example, it has a great effect on the spine and on the whole body as a whole! We also already talked about it on our website. Sedentary pastime is harmful for both children and adults. It will be much more useful for children to play not in computer games, and in . Teach your child the right idea healthy way life from an early age. Spend fun walks, play games, go to the gym with him, swim, ride bicycles, roller skates, run, jump, at least do morning exercises together! It will be useful for the child and for you!

Remember, you are a role model for your child! It is impossible to teach a child to do gymnastics if you do not do it yourself, it is difficult to teach a child to keep his back straight if you yourself lean towards the ground.

Take care of your back health and your baby's! We will tell you about exercises to strengthen the back in the near future!

If you want to be aware of our news, subscribe to our newsletter! Fill out the form below and receive our articles in your mail!

Every reader can take part in the commentator contest! Comment on articles and win prizes!

Correct posture refers to the ability of a person to keep his body in upright position at ease, without straining all his muscles. Each of us stands and sits in a certain position, the adoption of which occurs out of habit. How direct, physiological this position is, and determines the degree of "correctness" of posture.

The main formation of posture occurs in childhood, but this does not mean that an adult cannot correct his posture, get rid of its violations and achieve the correct body position. In addition, it is possible to “spoil” posture in adulthood: for example, during sedentary work and a sedentary lifestyle. Curvature of the spine can lead to pain and disease, and also cause a deterioration in the appearance of a person.

Causes and consequences of bad posture

In the normal state, the spine has physiological curves in the lumbar and thoracic regions. However, these bends can be broken, strengthened, smoothed out.

The main reasons for such problems include the following:

birth trauma;
uncomfortable desks and too heavy backpacks while studying at school;
fall in early childhood leading to microtrauma;
incorrect gait and posture in childhood, which was not controlled and corrected by parents / teachers;
low physical activity, which caused a weakening of the muscular corset;
prolonged retention of the wrong posture (most often in the performance of work duties);
uncomfortable, poorly matched clothes and shoes, forcing to take the wrong position of the body;
oncological, infectious and other ailments that affect the condition of the spine;
various injuries.

The consequences of poor posture can be divided into several types:

Scoliosis- lateral curvature of the spinal column, fixed in the frontal plane.
Kyphosis- curvature of the spine in the thoracic region towards the back in the sagittal plane.
Lordosis- curvature of the spine in the lumbar forward in the sagittal plane.

As already noted, posture problems often take roots in childhood. And not the last role is played by school backpacks that kids are forced to wear every day. The doctors found out that in order for the carrying of the briefcase not to affect the condition of the child's spine, its weight should be no more than 10-15% of the weight of the baby itself.

In addition, posture disorders often cause degenerative-dystrophic ailments, which lead to limited mobility, pain and even disruption of the entire musculoskeletal system. We are talking about osteochondrosis, osteoarthritis, as well as intervertebral hernias.

If we talk about the aesthetic consequences of incorrect posture, then we can note a stooped silhouette, a sunken chest, a protruding and therefore visually more voluminous belly, as well as many other unpleasant changes in a person’s appearance.

What should be the correct posture?

Checking how correct your posture is is quite simple. Lean back against the wall and pay attention to the position of the heels, calves, buttocks, shoulder blades and the back of the head. All these parts of the body should be in contact with the wall at the same time, and you should not make any effort, strain your muscles in order to achieve this effect. Otherwise, we can say that you have posture disorders.

Another simple test is to ask someone to take your picture from the back. Then, on the resulting photo, draw straight lines along three lines: ankles, pelvis and shoulders. These three features must be parallel to each other, otherwise we can talk about the presence of curvature.

The main signs of a correct, physiologically correct posture include the following:

Tight, flat stomach. Of course, the appearance of the abdomen also depends on the physique of a person, but correct posture always makes us visually slimmer in this area.
A slight bulge in the chest area. You should not make a "chest wheel" or, on the contrary, align your back, as if a board was nailed to it. Correct posture certainly includes small natural curves of the spinal column.
Vertical position of the head.
Laid back and slightly lowered position of the shoulders. You should not reduce the shoulder blades or raise the shoulders too much, as this, again, is unnatural for our spine.
A slight spread of the legs at the knees, a light, "flying" gait.

The benefits of good posture

improving the functioning of many internal organs and systems and, as a result, improving overall well-being;
removal of discomfort, pain in the upper body (back, shoulders, neck);
prevention of scoliosis, osteoporosis and other diseases that make a person unattractive and undermine his health;
preventing the formation of the so-called "beer belly", from which even easy people complexion;
improvement of mental activity, ability to concentrate;
increasing self-esteem, the formation of healthy self-confidence, which is so necessary for us to achieve our goals.

The biggest enemy of good posture is high heels. Walking in such shoes inevitably causes a change in the inclination of the body, which leads to a violation of posture and even to the appearance of systematic pain in the lower back. And those representatives of the fair sex who regularly defile in high heels can eventually earn herniated discs altogether.

Simple posture exercises

As already noted, poor posture is not a sentence even for an adult. It is quite possible to correct it, and on their own, using simple and understandable exercises. They are suitable for those who have deviations from the correct position of the spinal column that have not yet become serious. chronic diseases like scoliosis. Otherwise, it is also possible to improve posture, but within the framework of special treatment complexes.

The starting position for the first group of exercises is the same as when checking the correct posture. Lean against the wall so that your heels, calves, buttocks, shoulder blades and the back of your head touch it at the same time (for a person with impaired posture, maintaining this position requires muscle effort).

Once in this position, do the following:

Just hold the pose for three to five minutes.
Keeping all the points of contact of your body with your back listed above, alternately raise your legs, bending them at the knees. Perform the exercise 10 times for each leg.
Perform alternate tilts to the right and left (10 times in each direction), trying not to break the contact of the heels, calves, buttocks, shoulder blades and the back of the head with the wall.
Squat against the wall keeping everything top points body contact with the wall. In other words, you should sort of "slide" down the wall, and then rise in the same way. 10 repetitions of the exercise will be enough.

A good way to improve your posture is swimming. When a person is in water, the gravitational loads on his spine are significantly reduced. Thanks to this, the muscular frame of the spinal column is strengthened, the tone of the paravertebral muscles, as well as the muscles of the lower back and chest, improves. All this has a beneficial effect on posture.

If you are serious about achieving a significant improvement in posture, then it will not be out of place to also strengthen the muscular frame.

The following exercises are good for this:

regular push-ups from the floor;
maintaining the “plank” position for 30-60 seconds (by “plank” is meant keeping the body in a straight position while relying only on socks and forearms);
exercise "boat" (simultaneous raising of both arms and both legs from a prone position);
holding the dumbbell in raised and straightened arms at shoulder level (the exercise is performed in a sitting position, you need to hold the dumbbell for 5-7 seconds per lift).