There is indeed a lot of pressure to study now, and many children are carrying a heavy academic load. On the road, we can often see children carrying heavy school bags, as if these school bags are going to crush their bodies. In addition, sitting at a desk for a long time and lacking exercise also have a negative impact on children's posture.
Today, I will introduce you to the common posture problems of children and adolescents.
In recent years, the state and ** have attached great importance to the problem of adolescent posture. In 2019, the disease burden of low back pain among children and adolescents aged 5 to 14 ranked 10th in China, and the number of adolescent scoliosis has exceeded 5 million, and it is increasing at a rate of 300,000 per year. Poor body posture is both a trigger and an outward manifestation of spinal health problems, so it requires great attention from all parties.
In order to address this problem, in 2021, the National Health Commission issued the "Technical Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Abnormal Spinal Curvature in Children and Adolescents". In February 2022, the General Administration of Sports of China approved the release of the "Indicators and Methods for Body Posture Testing of Children and Adolescents". In addition, the "Healthy China 2030" Planning Outline also points out that the integration of sports and medicine and non-medical health interventions should be strengthened.
In this context, the focus of health needs to be shifted forward, and "preventive treatment" is advocated, and children and adolescents are an important part of this link.
A method that allows you to properly assess your posture
A proper posture assessment is important to understand an individual's physical condition and prevent potential health problems. Posture assessment can be observed in a number of ways, including posture, posture, and balance.
01|Postural observation
Postural observation is mainly to observe the front and side of the human body when standing naturally. For example, observe whether the head is straight, whether the shoulders are symmetrical, whether the spine is straight, whether the pelvis is straight, and whether the hips, knees, ankles, etc. are normal.
02|Posture observation
Posture observation includes observation of the head and neck, shoulders, spine, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, etc. For example, observe whether the head is tilted forward or backward, whether the shoulders are uneven or one high and one low, whether the spine is curved or hunched over, whether the pelvis is tilted or twisted, and whether there is abnormal bending or pain in the hips, knees, ankles, etc.
03|Postural assessment
Through posture assessment, ordinary people can also learn to observe some common bone structure problems. For example, observe whether the individual's spine has scoliosis or curvature, whether there are high and low shoulders or long and short legs, etc. These observations can help us understand an individual's physical condition and take appropriate measures to prevent and improve potential health problems.
A common self-test method for children and adolescents with poor posture
01 Round shoulders
Rounded shoulders, also known as thorax and hunched back, are the shoulders that protrude forward and appear semicircular when viewed from the side. This posture not only affects one's image, but also poses a potential hazard to one's health.
Hazards: Affect children's height development;Affects the efficiency of cerebral blood supply;Affects vision;Ventilation that affects lung capacity and respiration;Leads to impaired cardiopulmonary function.
Self-test method: Static observation method: Observe whether the shoulder is directly below the ear, if the shoulder moves forward and cannot become a line, there may be a problem with rounded shoulders. At the same time, observe the back from the front side to see if a quarter of the back is visible, and if the elbow joint of the arm is rotated inward.
Pen Grip Observation: Hold a pencil in each hand, and lower your arms to your sides naturally, and observe the direction of the tip of the pen. If the nib is facing inward, there may be a problem with rounded shoulders.
02 Hunchback.
Hunchback is a common spinal deformity that causes the torso to tilt forward, affecting the human body's form. Compared with round shoulders, hunchback is more harmful.
Hunchback hazards: affect children's image and temperament;Reduced height growth;Affects spinal growth and development;Affects the development of cardiopulmonary function;Causes vision problems.
Self-test method: Lie flat and prone: Parents touch the child's back with both hands, and place both hands on the lowest part of the waist and the highest part of the back. If the height of the hands is large and the muscles on both sides of the spine are tense and unable to relax, there is a possibility of hunchback.
Standing naturally: If the back is curled or the shoulders are high and low, it may be caused by a hunchback.
Standing against a wall: If only a small part of your back can be leaned against a wall, there is a chance that you are hunchbacked.
03 Lean forward
Tilting the head forward is a common posture problem that is usually caused by holding an incorrect posture for a long time. Prolonged head tilt can cause tension in the deep extensor muscles of the neck, which can affect the normal function of the cervical spine.
Head Forward Hazards:
Affect children's image and temperament;Affects the normal development of the spine;Affects the blood supply to the brain, memory declines, leading to headaches and dizziness;It affects the alignment of the jaw and causes long-term damage to the cervical spine.
Self-test method: Stand against the wall: feet shoulder-width apart, buttocks close to the wall, shoulder blades also need to touch the wall. After standing, observe your head posture and see if the back of your head is touching the wall, if not, you may have your neck tilted forward.
Natural standing: You can stand naturally to take a side photo, make a straight line of ears, shoulders and arms, if the three points are not in a straight line, and the head is slightly tilted forward, it can be roughly judged as a forward neck tilt.
04 Anterior pelvic tilt
Anterior pelvic tilt is a common posture problem in which the pelvis is tilted forward at an angle. This pathological phenomenon can lead to a range of health problems.
Harm: Induce the child's whole body posture problems;Affects the growth and development of lower limbs;Causes pain in the lower back;Affects digestion and absorption;Affects normal growth and development.
Self-test method: Lie on the mat on your back: bend your thighs and hips at about 45°, and land on your feet. Parents touch the child's waist with their hands to see if it can touch the ground. If there is a significant gap between the lower back and the ground and the hand can be easily placed under the lower waist, there is a possibility that the pelvis may tilt forward.
Stand naturally against the wall: Detect the gap between the lumbar spine and the wall, if the gap is greater than one palm, it is a anterior pelvic tilt, if it is greater than a fist, there is a risk of anterior pelvic tilt, if there is no gap, it is a posterior pelvic tilt.
05 Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a common spinal deformity in which the spine deviates from the midline and curves sideways (left or right) abnormally, resulting in a C- or S-shaped spinal deformity with curvature.
Hazards: High risk of exacerbation during puberty;Causes spinal function to be limited;Affects the development of cardiopulmonary function;Affects the appearance of the image.
Scoliosis self-test method:
Observation posture method: let the child take off his shirt, stand up naturally and relaxed, and then observe whether the child has the characteristics of ** posture: whether the shoulders are not the same height;Whether the shoulder blades on both sides are of equal height or bulge on one side;Asymmetry of the rib cage or breasts on both sides;The hips are of varying height, the waist is asymmetrical, and the curved concave surface appears higher than the convex surface;When the hands hang down naturally, the distance between the chest and the hands is inconsistent.
Bending over self-test: Using the Adams body forward bending test, let the child stand with his legs upright, feet shoulder-width apart, and bend forward 90° with his hands folded. Parents observe the back of the child to see if there is an asymmetrical bulge, if there is, then the higher bulge is scoliosis, commonly known as "razor back".
No assessment, no intervention.
Parents can go to a professional agency for an assessment.
Early prevention, early detection, and early detection can fundamentally solve the problem.