Droopy shouldered, shuffling, and often hunched over a screen, teenagers aren't exactly known for their good posture. But beyond repeatedly shouting, “Sit up straight!”, how can parents ensure their youngsters retain good posture and avoid straining their still-developing spines?
One nation that seems determined to tackle the issue is India, where the government has recently criticised schools for making pupils carry heavy bags to and from class every day. The new guidelines suggest children should not carry bags that exceed 10 pc of their body weight, because they're so concerned about producing a generation of children with spinal problem.
In large parts of rural India, many schoolchildren have to walk long distances to and from school. But while British children tend not to have long, arduous walks to school, there are still a number of things that might be damaging their posture.
These include, “heavy rucksacks, worn on just one shoulder,” says Bob Chatterjee, Consultant Spinal Surgeon of Harley Street Spine and Highgate Private Hospital, along with the overuse of electronic devices and long spells spent slouching.
The initial challenge as a parent is first determining whether your child already has altered posture. Possible signs include being unable to stand up straight, or having their head forward-tilted for long periods, “which causes the upper part of the neck to slightly protrude out ahead of the body, says Chatterjee. "This in turn causes increased arching at the lower back and discomfort." Other telltale signs include complaints of neck or back pain that interrupts their night’s sleep.
When it comes to hefty school bags, the important thing for your teen to do is to wear the weight evenly, and ensure it's not too heavy: “The problem with heavy bags is they force a change in the child's posture in order to maintain balance," says Chatterjee. "You can recognize when a child’s backpack is too heavy if they have to lean over while wearing it."
Although the UK doesn’t have any specific guidelines on this, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons suggest carrying more than 20 pc of the child’s body weight could seriously impact their spine.
One desperate Mumsnet user aired her frustration on the parenting forum, saying she had resorted to removing half of the pages in her son’s exercise books to reduce the burden. “Now he needs a thin but gripping book to read on his journey to replace the tomes he usually has. Maybe that's why people read newspapers...he'll just have to be content with his music!"
Being glued to their gadgets can also impact a child's posture, due to the way they constantly glance down at their phones or sit in sedentary positions for long periods in front of iPads and laptops.
“Most teenagers play computer games anywhere from one to two hours or more per day and this rises over the weekend,” says Chatterjee. “Most of the time they are slouched over their devices, or are in other poor positions as they lie on the sofa, floor, or hunched over the kitchen table.”
Try to get them moving more regularly, with stretches in between games, or simply by limiting their screen time, which is easier said than done. “Posture reversal reduces fatigue and potential strain and pain in muscles, ligaments and joints.”
If your child is going to be spending lengthy periods doing the same task, then mix up the positions a bit, try them standing or lying flat on their stomachs, as this will help to extend and stretch their backs. Other useful positions are the crab walk, where you squat on the ground, putting your hands on the floor, lifting your bottom upwards, which opens up the entire front of the body and is, “The opposite to the 'hunched' position most teenagers acquire during the day.”
Comfortable footwear is also crucial as it can help establish stable balance. Parents should look out for odd wear and tear on shoes: for example, feet can sometimes slant inwards which is called overpronation and is the result of poor posture or a collapsed heel arch. Achy feet is another sign, so avoid soft, poorly supportive shoes as these will only flatten your child’s arches further.
“It's worth seeing a specialist podiatrist to examine the arches of the feet and make sure that foot flexibility and alignment are correct," says Chatterjee.
Lastly, you might also have to take a closer look at your own tendency to slouch: “Research shows that children learn by mimicking what they see. If their parents have faulty posture, children quickly emulate it, taking on their parent’s physical stance and potential future problems with posture.”
Join the Telegraph Family Facebook group here for expert Telegraph opinion and reader advice on dealing with the chaos, frustration and joy of modern family life.