Pediatric Posture epidemic Part 1 of 3

Pediatric Posture epidemic

Part 1 of 3

I have decided to break this blog into 3 separate parts, the first to discuss the issue, the following 2 will be the exercises and rehabilitation for improving your posture.

We have a decline in healthy posture at the speed of technology. Children and adults are showing poorer posture. This posture is the forward head tilt with an increased midback curve called a hyperkyphosis. Most hyperkyphosis posture is postural; however some are structural. When you trunk flexes forward you have poor balance; this imbalance decreases your ability to regulate movement properly. You will have a slower gait and a wider stance causing poor coordination and balance.

50.5% of school-age children have poor posture! Over 50%! We have an epidemic!

Poor posture decreases balance, coordination, self-confidence, and results in a poor cognitive and emotional state. Posture distortion is unfortunately the new normal, and we need to reverse this in the ‘digital age.’

Tech neck posture at a 60-degree angle causes 60 pounds of force to the neck and upper back! Tech neck causes digital dementia

Digital dementia is defined as non-Alzheimers dementia-like symptoms form the overstimulation of devices and poor lifestyle habits.

It causes

1.    Understimulation of the Parietal lobe

2.    Overstimulation of the occipital lobe

3.    Understimulation of the cerebellum

4.    Understimulation of the PMRF

5.    Understimulation of the frontal lobe

I strongly recommend no tech under two and school-age children a maximum of 1 hour per day. Our children are developing their nervous system and spines with technology and are the first generation to have this from birth. Previous generations have developed their posture and nervous system before technology.  We need children to spend at least 2 hours a day physically playing, which activates their vestibular and nervous system.

Increased screen time causes the following

1.    Thinning of the brain cortex

2.    Decreased GPA with increased screen time

3.    Increased in ADHD

4.    Decreases in working memory

5.    Lower quality of life with increased screen time

How do we help these children and adolescents?

•    Spinal alignment, chiropractic adjustments  to stimulate the spine and the nervous system to function optimally

•    Posture rehabilitation

•    Posture habit re-education

Watch for the next blog part 2 by Dr. Joelle Johnson Bsc, D.C.,  from Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive Red Deer T4R3B3 www.family1stchiro.ca

403-347-3261