Posture is a condidtion commonly encountered by physical therapists. We tend to think of someone with poor posture as having a slumped upper back and rounded shoulders, potentially with a forward neck posture. This is a very common position for young people. In isolation, it’s not serious or dangerous; however, it may be a contributory factor to a patient’s back pain, shoulder pain or physical functioning. 

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• Cause:

  • Rapid growth

  • Poor flexibility

  • Lack of back or trunk muscular control/strength
     

• Diagnosis:

  • Visual inspection

  • Physical examination

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• Treatment:

  • Education

  • Stretching muscles that are overly tight

  • Strengthening muscles that promote back and shoulder blade strength/control

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WHAT CAUSES POOR POSTURE IN KIDS?

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Poor posture in kids can be caused by a variety of factors. One common reason is that kids wear extremely heavy backpacks, as the use of lockers has decreased in many large schools. Kids have to transport many books and binders at once and this heavy load on a growing skeleton exerts a large force.The kid may hunch forward to compensate for the heavy backpack, causing less than ideal posture over time. Another reason, especially in tall girls, has to do with more social aspects. Most middle schoolers do not want to stick out from the crowd so they may hunch forward to be at a more equal eye level to their peers. 

 

HOW CAN I FIX MY CHILD'S POSTURE?

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Fixing poor posture is a difficult, slow process. From a clincal standpoint, strengthening the muscles of the back and trunk along with stretching the chest wall are fundamental treatments. Correcting poor posture requires re-training the child out of a “bad” habit and habit change can takes diligence and time. 

 

WHAT IS POSTURAL CONTROL IN EARLY CHILDHOOD?

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Postural control in early childhood deals with the child or toddler having enough strength and motor control to maintain upright trunk posture or upright head posture against the constant force of gravity. A child with poor postural control may have a hard time rolling, sitting upright, or standing upright due to this problem. 
 

WHAT IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF POOR POSTURE IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN?

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Poor posture in infants and young children may be caused by more simple problems like weak trunk musculature or a slow developing child. Poor posture can also be caused by complex problems like developmental delay or a variety of musculoskeletal or neurological conditions.