Tech Use Tips For Kids To Avoid Bad Posture
We're seeing more kids and teens coming to see us with neck & upper back pain, often due to their technology usage.
Dr. Armstrong decided to create a video with helpful tips to improve the way they interact with their devices and improve their posture along the way. If you have kids or grandkids have a look below, but realistically it is advice we all could benefit from.
We're seeing more and more children and teenagers reporting neck and upper back pain, often due to their technology usage. Like adults who can adjust their workstations to reduce discomfort, children can use their phones, their ipads and their laptops a little different. Today, I'll give you some posture tips to help your kids avoid neck strain and back pain.
What we see in Kids:
Commonly, we observe discomfort between the upper back and neck area. Spinal joints can become jammed, leading to muscle tightness in that area.
Our treatment often focuses first on the muscles connecting to the spine, between the vertebrae and the shoulder blades, extending to the back of the neck.
To address the jammed spinal joints we also often treat the spine with hands on adjustments or specialized tools like the activator or impulse, tailored to your child's preferences and needs.
Treatment if often quickly effective, but if they just go back to using the technology the same pains come back.
Technology Postures:
Let's explore some postures to help your kids avoid discomfort:
Phone: During phone use, children tend to round their spines and lower their chins. A better option is to encourage them to lean forward, resting their elbows on their knees while keeping a straight spine and head aligned.
Ipad: Provide lumbar support with a pillow and elevate the device with another pillow on their lap, preventing their head from tilting forward and supporting their lower back.
Laptops: For older kids and teenagers using laptops for extended periods, a desk is ideal, with an external keyboard and mouse to raise the screen to eye level.
If your child is experiencing aches, pains, or headaches we can likely help. You can schedule an appointment below or give us a call at 604.530.0530.
