Posture exercises for children (video)

Posture exercises for children should be done by all children - both healthy and those with existing posture problems. Such exercises should be included in morning exercises and active games. After all, posture reflects the child's physical and mental health, character and mood.

To maintain the health of the baby, it is necessary to support and strengthen it in every possible way. The same applies to posture. The first problems with posture begin in teenagers. The curriculum now is such that the child sits a lot - at school for 6-8 lessons in senior classes, with a tutor and again at home, preparing homework. If you teach your child from childhood to pay attention to simple exercises every day, then you will avoid many troubles.

Correct posture even affects the speed of metabolism, the supply of oxygen to the brain (this applies to people who write and read with their heads slightly tilted to the side). The most important thing is to do the exercises regularly, regardless of whether your child has problems with posture or not. The exception is children who regularly engage in some kind of sport - running, swimming, dancing, gymnastics. But if your child does not play sports, then insist on home exercises for posture! And even better - do everything together, especially if the child is a preschooler or primary school age. You yourself will not notice how you get into it and stop complaining about neck pain and back pain. The exercises that will be described below are funny, cheerful and not at all difficult. You can do a couple of exercises, try everything and then repeat your favorites. Or you can assign certain exercises to each day of the week - as you like.

Remember that a child's body develops very quickly. There is also the factor of unexpected "growth spurts", when a month later the child bashfully asks for new pants, because the old ones have suddenly become short.

Explain to your child what posture is. It is the vertical position of the human body that is familiar to him. When they say "proud posture" or "dance posture" - it means that the person is used to walking with a straight back, holding his head straight. But when they say "bad posture" - it means that the person is used to walking with a round back, slightly hunched over, holding his head down. Posture is one of the indicators by which health is judged. Ideal posture from a medical point of view is when the back is straight, stretched upwards and has no bends. If we talk about problems with posture and the back, then most often the so-called scoliosis occurs - when the spine is curved to the right or left. Scoliosis is most often preceded by injuries, rickets, weak muscle tissue of the back, but there may also be congenital posture disorders.

Children with postural disorders are often characterized by timidity, passivity and shyness.

A straight and beautiful posture is represented by a straight back, a raised head, shoulders at the same level and slightly pulled back, shoulder blades symmetrically positioned and tightly adjacent to the chest, the stomach slightly tucked in, the chest slightly protruding forward, the lower limbs straight and not half-bent.

Correct posture is important not only from an aesthetic point of view. Its pathology changes the arrangement of internal organs, which leads to disruption of the cardiovascular system and makes breathing difficult. The result is rapid fatigue of the child and his poor health.

Therefore, timely prevention of posture disorders in children is very important, and it should begin from the earliest age. Outdoor games are very useful for posture in children, as they promote the development of agility, courage, initiative and strengthening of the muscles of the whole body, and also improve the activity of the heart, respiratory system and metabolism.

Let's look at what exercises and in what cases will help you and your child avoid problems with posture.

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Exercises for posture disorders in children

If your posture is already broken and your doctor has told you about it, we recommend paying attention to the following exercises. You will need a mirror.

Exercise 1

Stand near the wall, touching it with your shoulder blades, heels, buttocks and the back of your head. Spread your arms to shoulder level with your palms facing away from the wall. Slowly slide your arms along the wall without changing the position of your back – everything that touched the wall and should touch it, down and up. During the exercise, the muscles of your back and arms should be tense. Chin forward, stomach pulled in. Do 10 repetitions – and relax. You can do 10 times in three approaches.

Exercise 2

In this exercise, the mirror plays a big role. Stand in front of it and press yourself against the wall as described in the previous exercise. Now your task is to move away from the wall so that your back remains in the same position, as if you were still leaning against the wall. Slowly move away from the wall, checking your posture in the mirror. Do this three or four times.

Exercise 3

The starting position is the same as in the previous two exercises - against the wall. Place your hands on your waist. Your elbows should touch the wall. Slide your buttocks, arms, shoulder blades and the back of your head along your back and slowly sit down, then stand up just as slowly. Please watch yourself in the mirror. And you will be your two children's "mirrors". Five such slow squats and you can take a break. When you get used to doing this exercise, you can add more squats.

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Exercises for correct posture

The purpose of this section is to show that correct posture should be maintained and formed in the right direction as the child grows. We offer the following simple and effective exercises for this:

Exercise 1

Starting position: lying on your stomach, arms stretched out in front of you. Let your child slowly raise his arms and legs up at the same time, slightly arching his lower back. At the top point, hold for a couple of seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Five repetitions.

Exercise 2

The starting position is the same, but the child's palms should rest on the floor. Without lifting your hands off the floor and leaning on them, you need to stretch your head up, rise as high as possible and bend back. Then slowly return to the starting position.

Exercise 3

Starting position – standing. The child should bend his arms at the elbows, then press his hands to the shoulders as much as possible, the thumb must touch the shoulder. After that, in a tense state, spread your fingers to the sides. Elbows are pressed to the body – do everything according to the description one by one, so it will be easier for you to understand what to do. So, the child with fingers spread out and elbows pressed stands, stretched out in a string and slightly tilting his head back. Now the path slowly leads the elbows forward until they touch, and simultaneously puts the head on the elbows. Then relax and count to five. Slowly move the elbows and head back. At the same time, the tension in the muscles of the cervical spine and the pressure of the chin are acutely felt. Repeat the exercise five times.

Exercise 4

Starting position: lying on the floor with your stomach down. Place your palms under your chin, then do a movement as if you are in water and spreading the water out to the side with your hands. The child spreads his palms away from himself, then bends his arms at the elbows in front of him, lowers his head onto his arms and rests a little. The muscles of the cervical spine, shoulders, back and arms work. Five repetitions.

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Exercise 5

Starting position: lying on the back, the child should raise two legs at forty-five degrees and "spin the bike" in the air. Ten rotations forward, then you can lower the legs and let the child rest, then ten rotations back. And so three approaches. The child's lower back should be pressed to the floor, the child's hands can rest on the floor from behind.

Exercise 6

The child is in the starting position on his back, stretched out straight, arms along the body. The legs should be kept together and slowly raised above the floor not high (but beginners can do it a little higher – the exercise is quite difficult), then let him spread his legs wide, count “one, two, three”, bring them together again and lower them to the floor. Ten repetitions. Watch the child’s breathing – it should be smooth and calm.

To maintain proper posture, you need to take 15-minute breaks while doing homework. One break per hour. In this case, the child should stand up, walk around, or do a couple of exercises. You can do it this way - kneel on a chair, put your head on the table on your folded hands, while straining your back and bending it into a bridge. Then relax the back muscles and lie down for a while, relaxed.

Exercises to Correct Posture in Children

Correct posture means correct blood supply to organs, excellent lung function, and a good emotional state. Slouching people often feel depressed, this has already been proven by scientists. Explain this to your child and he will understand you.

The easiest exercise to correct posture is walking on tiptoes with a book on your head. You can also put a book on your head and walk with your child. Have a competition - whoever drops the book first loses.

There is a good exercise for children, called "cat". The child is on his knees, resting his hands on the floor, head down. You say: "The cat sees the mouse! And the child arches his back like a bridge. You say: "The cat is looking at mom! And the child arches his back, raising his head high, arching in the opposite direction.

Good exercises for the back are the Plank pose and push-ups. It is difficult for children to do push-ups. Therefore, you can start training them to do push-ups from their knees. The emphasis is on the arms and bent knees. The arms are spread wide and symmetrically relative to the head. The back is straight. The head is not lowered - look forward. A couple of push-ups in three approaches is enough. Gradually increase the number of push-ups, and then let the child do push-ups, resting on his toes. It will not hurt for moms and dads to join the child. Here, too, competitions are possible - who can do better push-ups, who can do more push-ups.

Plank pose. You can lean on your elbows and toes. The body is stretched out like a string, the back is straight, the eyes are looking forward, not down. The stomach is tense. Count to 30 - this is enough for the child at first. Let the child try to do the Plank pose, leaning on outstretched arms.

Another good exercise is to have the child sit cross-legged on the floor, keep his back straight, and stretch his arms above his head and stretch his arms as high as possible. Do this several times – as many as he feels comfortable doing.

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Posture Exercise Complex for Children

The set of exercises for posture for children includes exercises that strengthen the muscular corset and promote the formation of correct posture.

To prevent the occurrence of postural pathology in very young children (up to 4 years old), it is recommended to perform several specific exercises in the form of a game throughout the day:

• Crawl under a chair or under a taut rope.
• Place a rope on the floor and walk along it like a tightrope walker.
• Crawl on all fours without lowering your head.
• Perform the woodcutter exercise, where the child acts as if he is “chopping wood”, while bending over.

For older children of preschool age (from 4 years) and school-age children, the following set of exercises for beautiful posture is recommended:

• Exercise – wave. The child should lie on his stomach, on the floor with his arms stretched forward. After that, it is necessary to raise both arms and legs up, pause in this position for a few seconds and return to the initial position. The number of repetitions is at least five.
• Exercise - crocodile. To perform this exercise, the child lies on his stomach, on the floor, with his arms stretched forward and resting his palms on the floor. Then he needs to slowly raise his head, bending in the lumbar region and not lifting his hands off the floor. Then return to the initial position and relax the body. The number of repetitions is at least five.
• You need to lie on your stomach, and place your upper limbs perpendicular to your body, i.e. to the sides. From this position, you need to lift your body, bending in the thoracic spine and stretch upward, then return to the original position. There should be five repetitions.
• In a prone position, bend your arms at the elbows and hold a gymnastic stick on your shoulder blades. Then lift your body so that it bends over the gymnastic stick, then return to the original position. Number of repetitions: five.
• Lying on your stomach, place your hands in the waist area. You need to lift your body up and your left leg while inhaling, then return to the original position while exhaling. Then do the exercise with your right leg raised.
• It is necessary to lie on your back and put your hands perpendicular to the body. Then, raise your upper limbs up and forward while simultaneously raising your left leg so as to touch your hand, then do the exercise with your right leg.
• Exercise - bicycle. To perform it, you need to lie on your back and make movements with your lower limbs similar to riding a bicycle from five to ten rotations. Then lower your lower limbs to rest for a few seconds and continue the exercise the same number of times.
• You need to lie on your back on a plane with a slope, while grabbing its lateral surface with your hands. Then bend your lower limbs at the knee joints, pull them up to your stomach and exhale. Then straighten your lower limbs and inhale.
• In a standing position, you need to hold the gymnastic stick with your hands in the shoulder blade area. Then you need to bend your torso forward, raise your upper limbs up with the stick extended. Then return to the original position.
• In a standing position with a lowered gymnastic stick in your hands, you need to raise the stick forward and up as you exhale, then return to the original position as you inhale.
• In a standing position with a lowered gymnastic stick in your hands, you need to squat down and raise your hands with the stick forward, then return to the original position. The back should remain straight.
• The initial position is standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, your arms bent at the elbows, and on your shoulders. Next, you need to bend your torso forward as you exhale and return to the initial position as you inhale. Your back should be straight.
• In a standing position, place your hands on your waist. Then, bend your arms at the elbows and turn them forward as you inhale and return to the original position as you exhale.

These exercises are recommended for daily practice in the morning or evening, depending on the child's activity. The number of repetitions of the exercises should be from five to ten, starting small - with five repetitions, with a gradual increase. Classes should begin one hour after or before eating.

The presented set of exercises is used more for preventive purposes, because it is better to prevent a disease than to treat it. Also for the same purpose, an annual visit to a pediatric orthopedist is recommended. For the correct formation of posture, it is also useful:

• swimming,
• volleyball,
• basketball,
• skiing,
• short physical exercise breaks of ten to fifteen minutes, every hour and a half.

Ideally, the formation of correct posture should be monitored not only by parents, but also by kindergarten teachers and school teachers.

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Exercises for curvature of posture (scoliosis) for children

Let's figure out what scoliotic posture is and how it differs from scoliosis? The medical definition of scoliotic posture is a lateral displacement of the spinal column (frontal plane). This pathology can be easily seen. But the difference from scoliosis is that the asymmetry, unevenness and curvature of the vertebra disappear if the person leans forward or lies down. To get an accurate diagnosis, the child will have to have a lateral X-ray of the spine. Then - after receiving the diagnosis - taking into account the doctor's advice, you need to treat the child using an integrated approach. And exercises for scoliotic posture for children will be very useful to you. You can also add an orthopedic corset to the exercises (as prescribed by the doctor), monitor how your child sits and stands and work with him to eliminate bad habits. Perhaps you will be recommended to study in special centers with professional instructors.

Scoliotic posture is a precursor to scoliosis. These two pathologies are similar - both scoliotic posture and scoliosis have a curved spine, the shoulder blades and shoulders are not symmetrical, and asymmetry is also observed in the waist area. The position of the pelvis, as a rule, can be even.

Exercises for scoliotic posture in children can stop the deformation of the spine and make the posture more correct, while the muscles of the trunk are strengthened and there is no muscle imbalance.

Exercises for curvature of posture (scoliosis) for children should be performed daily, with a gradual increase in load and include the following complex:

• In a standing position, the lower limbs are shoulder-width apart, and the hands are on the waist. On the count of one or two, you need to bend your body forward, down, and touch the floor with your fingers as you exhale, then on the count of three or four, return to the original position and inhale. The number of repetitions is at least seven.
• In a standing position, place your hands behind your head, keep your back straight, make circular movements with your torso. Inhale with your torso in the back, exhale with your torso in the front. There should be at least seven repetitions.
• In a standing position, place your arms perpendicular to your body and turn your torso to the right, return to the original position, and then turn to the left. Repeat the exercise six to ten times.
• In a standing position with your arms at your sides, turn your head to the right and left. Repeat the exercise at least six times.
• From a standing position, with your arms at your sides, turn your body as deeply as possible - to the right as you inhale - the original position - to the left as you exhale. The exercise is repeated six to ten times.
• Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a gymnastic stick behind your back at shoulder blade level and bend your torso forward, return to the initial position while inhaling and bend your body slightly backward while exhaling. Repeat the exercise at least six times.

• In a kneeling position, hands rest on the floor with palms, on inhalation it is necessary to raise the head and look up, after which the head should be lowered and on exhalation arch the back. The number of repetitions is from six to ten times.
• In the prone position, the feet should be secured, and in the hands you need to hold a load weighing approximately two to two and a half kilograms (for example, a sandbag, dumbbells). On inhalation, you need to bend and raise your hands with the load, then exhale and return to the starting position. The exercise is performed at least six times.
• You need to sit on the floor and lean your palms on the floor behind you, then, while inhaling, simultaneously raise your lower and upper limbs by forty-five degrees, then, while exhaling, return to the original position. The number of repetitions is from six to ten times.
• Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the expander in your hands behind your head, then on the count of one or two, spread your arms to the sides and arch your chest while inhaling. Then on the count of three or four, return to the original position and exhale. Repeat the exercise six to ten times.
• With the palms of your hands on the forehead, you need to tilt your head forward, overcoming the resistance from your hands and holding your breath. Then return to the initial position, inhale and exhale. The exercise is repeated four times, with a break of no more than ten seconds, the muscle tension during the exercise should be four seconds.
• Standing with your hands on the back of your head, you need to move your head back, overcoming the resistance of your hands. Then you need to smoothly lower your hands and inhale and exhale. This exercise is also performed four times, with a ten-second break, with muscle tension for four seconds.
• Standing with your lower limbs shoulder-width apart, bend your torso forward and shake your relaxed arms, then return to the original position. The number of repetitions is at least seven.
• You need to lie on your back in the shape of a star, i.e. spread your upper and lower limbs to the sides, relax all muscles for fifteen seconds.
• An exercise that requires walking with occasional walking on tiptoes. It can be supplemented by simultaneously raising your arms up. Repeat at least four to five times.

The above-described complex is recommended to be performed an hour after or before meals, in the morning or evening. This set of exercises is an auxiliary component of the complex treatment of spinal curvatures (scoliosis), which is prescribed, monitored and adjusted by a pediatric orthopedist throughout the treatment process.

We hope that the article is useful to you and you will help to correct your child's posture. The main thing is to prevent a persistent deterioration of the situation. Everything is in your hands. And you should not let them down.

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