These days there is an alarming rate of increase in children with bad pain, a condition which was until recently an adult phenomenon. There is also an increase in the number of children with spinal and muscle related problems. Both these issues by and large have the same root cause - bad posture. Thus it becomes imperative that we should not take any chances with the way our kids sit. By paying attention to our children’s posture, we can reduce the chances of them developing such long term back related problems. However this is easier said than done. It is a common sight to see parents struggling to get their children to quit slouching and sit with the right posture.

Let’s first look at some of the reasons why children develop bad posture. Heavy backpacks, usage of electronic devices such as laptops, mobiles, video games etc, poor diet leading to obesity, mimicking what their parents do are some of the important and common ones.

How to encourage children to have a good posture?

You could make your child watch TV or play computer games while sitting on a stability ball which would strengthen his core. Limit their screen time and encourage them to go outside and play which will have additional benefits than just good posture. Limit the amount of weight they need to carry to school and last but not the least making sure that one use ergonomically designed desks and chairs at home.