A simple 2-Minute posture check for your kids

If you have kids like I do, you likely worry about how much time they spend on devices or sitting. You may also worry about things you hear or read online like “text neck” or “scoliosis”.  When it comes to posture, “good posture” isn’t just about standing up straight, it’s about helping your child’s body grow, move, and perform at it’s best.

As kids spend more time sitting in classrooms, carrying heavy backpacks, and using devices, their posture can easily start to change without anyone noticing.

Over time, these small changes can lead to neck pain, back discomfort, fatigue, or even reduced confidence in how they move and hold themselves.

The good news is that it doesn’t take long to spot early warning signs.
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A quick, simple posture check at home can help you identify imbalances before they become bigger issues. In just 2 minutes, you can see how your child’s spine, shoulders, and head are lining up, and whether they might benefit from some simple posture exercises or even a chiropractic check-up.

A simple 3 step posture check

Note: I was planning on taking photos of my daughter doing this test, but she changed her mind, so I decided to include photos of myself. I have a 15 degree spinal curve to the right in my mid back so it is quite good to see what postural distortions can show up like. In the photos below, notice the height difference of the shoulders and the slight height difference of the rib cage when leaning forward. These are the type of things to look out for when doing the test on your kids or partner. 

Here is how to do the 2 min posture check. I have included a video from my YouTube channel as well as a written version. 

Step 1

1. Stand behind your child, have them close their eyes and march on the spot 3-4 times, then stop and stand still. Get them to take a breath in, then breathe all the way out and relax. This helps get them into a more neutral relaxed position. Often times when you say I am doing a posture check, people will suddenly 'stand up straight'. This can give a false result.
2. You will now check them from the top to the bottom.
3. Check that their ears are reasonably level.
4. Check that their shoulders are level. Is one higher than the other? You can see my right shoulder is higher than my left in the photo below. 
5. Check that their pelvis is level. Is the top of the pelvis the same on both sides?
6. Finally check their feet. Good posture starts from the ground up. Are the feet pointing straight ahead? Are the feet pointing outwards? Is one pointing out more than the other? Are the feet rolling in?

Related: 3 School bag tips for a healthy back

Step 2

1. Ask your child to bend forward and let their arms hang in front of them. Also have their head hanging down too.
2. When standing from behind look along the length of the spine and see if it is straight. Is one side of the rib cage higher than the other? You can see difference in mine in the photo below.

Step 3

1. Either come around to the side or have your child turn to the right so you are looking at them from the side.
2. If they do move, go through the same process as step one of marching on the spot, breathing in and out and relaxing.
3. You will then look to see if their ankles, knees, hips, point of the shoulders and ears are aligned.
4. Are they standing up straight or are they leaning forward? Are their shoulders rounded forward. Is their ear in front of the shoulders (forward head posture)?

What to make of the findings

This simple test will give a quick overview of their posture.

If you notice any uneven shoulders, forward head posture, one side of the rib cage is higher than the other, their feet are turned out, or that your child’s posture just doesn’t look quite right, it may be worth getting it checked by a professional.

If you would like to get your kids posture checked properly, at Elevate Chiropractic we offer two options:

1. A FREE spinal check. This is where we will do a quick spinal and posture check to see what I notice and can then offer some advice.
2. Book in for a full assessment. This includes a full history, spinal assessment, posture assessment, neurological assessment and functional assessment. If it is safe to do so, this will also include an adjustment to help start the healing process. We will also give you advice on things you can do moving forward.

If you would like to make an appointment, you can easily book online here, or feel free to call the clinic on (09)413 5312.
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At Elevate Chiropractic we have been helping families in Greenhithe, Hobsonville, Whenuapai and surrounding areas feel, move, and function better for 12 years.