By Marcia Bullock, Physiotherapist, GUNNIMS

HELP, my kids are turning into hunch backs!!!

I have 2 teenage daughters and I am constantly nagging them to “put your phone down” and to “sit up straight”.

As a physio, I know how important great posture is on a growing spine. I am worried about their spine health as they continue to use their iPhones and computers more and more. Just last week, I had four teen girls in for physiotherapy to treat pain along the right side of their midback and neck. All four had the same pain, but they had nothing else in common. They were all active kids playing soccer, hockey and dancing. The only conclusion I could come to, to explain their similar pain was the use of their iPhones.   All of these girls sat in my clinic waiting room looking straight down at their phones.

I don’t have the answers as to what will motivate your kids to sit up and put their phones down, but hopefully one of these ideas will help.

iHunch, iPosture or Text Neck

The iHunch, iPosture, or Text Neck, call it what you will, it is still plain old bad posture and can literally be a pain in the neck. The reason for including this topic is that the “condition” appears to be getting worse and it is not isolated to the under 30 crowd. This may not seem like the latest news; however, considering the numerous Pinterest boards, it can’t be far off base. More people than ever are texting and reading on their cell phones (American Bone Health, 2021).

The iHunch: 

1. Overworked muscles down the back of the neck strengthen, strain, scar and shorten
2. Middle and lower back support muscles weaken
3. Hunching upper back joints eventually freeze like that
4. Muscles at the front of the neck work less and weaken, so chin pokes out.

Results: Upper back pain, neck pain, headache; often referred pain down arms (American Bone Health, 2021).

Good Posture

We know that good posture is necessary for avoiding undue stress on the spine, actually all muscles and joints, and to aid in better breathing and digestion. We should all take a moment every day to check our posture and to remind those around us why good posture is so important. If we all practice the healthy habits of bone health each week, they will become an automatic and natural part of our lives.

So, what’s good posture? I think the Mayo Clinic has an excellent description: When you’re standing, keep your chest held high and your shoulders back and relaxed. Try not to tilt your head forward, backward, or sideways. Pull in your abdomen and buttocks. Make sure your knees are relaxed, not locked. Keep your feet parallel and your weight balanced evenly on both feet… ahhhh, doesn’t that feel great?!

The Dangers of Texting and Walking

If looking and feeling good is not enough, then consider the dangers of texting and walking. Research shows that we tend to walk slower and less efficiently. It can increase the chances of not looking carefully before crossing the street, getting in harm’s way of a car, running into a tree and most importantly, we could fall and fracture a bone. Give your back a break for goodness sake.

Posture: Align Yourself for Good Health

Being told to “stand up straight” probably seemed like a rite of passage in your teenage years, but those nagging adults were onto something. Good posture supports good health.

Proper body alignment can help prevent excess strain on your joints, muscles, and spine thus alleviating pain and reducing the likelihood of injury. As a bonus, correct posture can boost your productivity and mood, as well as help you use your muscles more efficiently (By Jane T. Hein).

So, what does proper posture look like? Use the “wall test” to find out:

• Stand so that the back of your head, your shoulder blades and your buttocks touch the wall, and your heels are 2 to 4 inches from the wall.
• Put a flat hand behind the small of your back. You should be able to just barely slide your hand between your lower back and the wall for a correct lower back curve.
• If there’s too much space behind your lower back, draw your belly button toward your spine. This flattens the curve in your back and gently brings your lower back closer to the wall.
• If there’s too little space behind your lower back, arch your back just enough so that your hand can slide behind you.
• Walk away from the wall while holding a proper posture. Then return to the wall to check whether you kept a correct posture.

Unfortunately, ideal posture is often the exception rather than the rule. Poor posture can affect you head to toe, contributing to a number of problems. These include;

• Headache. Poor posture can strain the muscles at the back of your head, neck, upper back, and jaw. This can put pressure on nearby nerves and trigger what are known as tension-type or muscle-spasm headaches.
• Back and neck pain. Pain and tightness or stiffness in the back and neck can be due to injury and other conditions such as arthritis, herniated disks, and osteoporosis, but poor posture is a common contributor. Although rarely life-threatening, back and neck pain can be chronic and reduce your quality of life.
• Knee, hip, and foot pain. Muscle weakness, tightness or imbalances, lack of flexibility, and poor alignment of your hips, knees and feet may prevent your kneecap (patella) from sliding smoothly over your femur. The ensuing friction can cause irritation and pain in the front of the knee, a condition known as patellofemoral pain. Poor foot and ankle alignment also can contribute to plantar fasciitis, a condition in which the thick band of tissue connecting your heel to the ball of your foot (plantar fascia) becomes inflamed and causes heel pain.
• Shoulder pain and impingement. Your rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that connect your upper arm to your shoulder. Muscle tightness, weakness or imbalances associated with poor posture can cause the tendons in your rotator cuff to become irritated and cause pain and weakness. A forward, hunched posture also can cause these tendons to become pinched (impinged). Eventually, this can lead to a tear in the rotator cuff tissue, a more serious injury that can cause significant pain and weakness and limit your ability to carry out daily activities.
• Jaw pain. A forward head posture may strain the muscles under your chin and cause your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to become overworked. This may result in pain, fatigue and popping in your jaw, as well as difficulty opening your mouth, headaches, and neck pain.
• Fatigue and breathing problems. Poor postural habits may restrict your rib cage and compress your diaphragm. This can reduce lung capacity, leading to shallow or labored breathing, fatigue, and lack of energy, which can affect your overall productivity.

Improving your posture can help prevent or reverse many of these conditions. You’ll be amazed to see how your quality of life can improve, simply by standing a little taller.

Experiments

Try these tips for improving your posture while standing, sitting and lying-in bed, with a focus on spinal mobility and breath work.

1. While walking, stand tall. Inhale, roll your shoulders up and back, then exhale and roll your shoulders down, as if you are gently tucking your shoulder blades into your back pockets.
2. Try seated pelvic tilts. Sit on the edge of a chair, place your hands on your thighs and rest your feet on the floor. Inhale and rock your pelvis and ribs forward while you open your chest and look upward. Exhale, rock your pelvis and spine back and look down toward the floor.
3. Do a wake-up or bedtime bridge pose. Lie on your back in bed with your knees bent and your feet resting on the mattress. Inhale, then slowly exhale and curl your tailbone to lift your buttocks and spine, one vertebra at a time, until your shoulder blades bear your weight. Pause and inhale, then slowly exhale as you roll your spine back down.