Most parents understand that healthy growth and development depends on many factors such as lifestyle habits, nutrition, sleep, and physical activity. These factors are especially important during periods of high growth and development such as childhood and the teen years. These early years can have a big impact on a person’s future level of health and wellness.
This blog explores how posture can affect growth and why it is important to monitor given the amount of growth happening from birth to young adulthood.
Are your child’s daily habits positively or negatively affecting spine growth and development?
What is good posture?
Harvard Health describes posture as the way we hold our body while sitting, standing, and moving, and involves the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar curves. Good posture means that all three curves are in balance and aligned, offering protection against pain and providing stability. Poor posture can lead to discomfort and a variety of other problems related to breathing, movement, and mood.
How posture affects your child’s growth
The growth years place a lot of demand on spinal curves, requiring them to shift and adapt as muscle balance patterns are established. Poor position and alignment can nudge those patterns in the wrong direction, creating tightness in some muscles and weakness in others.
This matters because posture influences breathing mechanics, digestion, and even energy. When a child slumps forward, the ribcage and abdomen have less room to expand, and this can negatively affect breathing, abdominal organ function, and contribute to headaches and discomfort.
Tip: To do a quick check at home, watch your child sit, stand, and walk.
- Are the ears over the shoulders or drifting forward?
- Do the shoulders look even?
- Are both hips at the same level?
Monitoring regularly can help you identify possible posture issues. More good posture cues are listed here.
Lifestyle habits that can impact a child’s posture
Screens and devices. Technology can be an invaluable tool but prolonged use can wreak havoc on young bodies. Consider these four examples.
Text neck:
This describes a forward head posture, placing extra load on the neck and upper back. Our recent blog on Text Neck Syndrome details exactly what this means and how to protect your child.
Backpacks:
Heavy or low-slung backpacks can strain a growing spine. It’s recommended that a filled backpack weigh no more than 10-15% of the user’s bodyweight. Check out our Backpacks to Desks guide on tips to ensure a properly fitted backpack plus packing basics for back-to-school.
Study spaces:
Child-sized seating, screens at eye level, and supported feet help maintain a neutral spine position, essential for good spinal health.
Screen time limits:
Between work, school, and social time, your child is likely spending significant time on a computer or on their device. Encouraging regular breaks and physical activity is important. To help parents, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) usage has developed age specific 24 hour movement guidelines.
The Canadian Pediatric Society also recently launched the Centre for Healthy Screen Use for parents with resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and guidance on screen limits for children and teens.
Unchecked posture can be risky
When poor alignment persists through a child’s growth spurts, this can contribute to neck or back pain, headaches, and low energy resulting from muscle imbalance and joint strain.
If you have concerns about your child’s posture or symptoms that might be related, don’t wait. Have your child assessed by a medical professional.
Here are some common symptoms to watch for:
- Persistent pain in the back, neck, or shoulders
- Uneven shoulders or hips (visible in a mirror or in photos)
- Forward head posture
- Tingling, numbness, or weakness in arms or legs
- Frequent headaches
- Inability to carry weight such as a school backpack
- Fatigue when sitting upright or standing
Model habits that support good posture
One of the best things parents can do is model the behaviour they want to see in their children. When it comes to posture, limiting recreational screen time and taking frequent movement breaks are a great place to start to instill a healthy posture mindset.
Tip: Check out Straighten Up Canada, a free, easy-to-perform video program that can be completed in just three minutes a day. Available in two options, one for adults and one for youth, these exercises are designed to be performed easily between classes, homework sessions, or whenever you need a quick movement break.
Get checked out
A chiropractic assessment can identify movement restrictions, muscle imbalance, or ergonomic triggers that could be affecting your child’s posture. Even if your child does not have symptoms, consider having your child assessed to identify a potential issue before symptoms appear. It’s far easier to address a small problem during the growth phase than to try to correct it after years of poor posture and bad habits.
Tip: Good posture is essential for parents too – take care of you so you can take care of your loved ones. Pay attention to any discomfort or symptoms you may be experiencing because ignoring them could lead to a variety of problems.
Posture checklist for parents
Here’s a quick checklist for parents to help ensure their kids maintain good posture:
- Regularly monitor your child’s posture. Spot check during homework, at the table during mealtime, and when kids are at play
- Set up an ergonomic study area with a chair that supports your child’s feet
- Ensure computer screens are always placed at eye level
- Use two-strap backpacks and limit them to 10 to 15 percent of your child’s body weight
- Encourage movement breaks every 30 to 60 minutes
- Follow age appropriate recreational screen time guidelines
- Model healthy lifestyle habits (sleep, nutrition, physical activity, etc.)
- Book regular posture assessments, especially around growth spurts