By Dr. Michelle Irwin

May is Posture Month!

Something disturbing is becoming very clear, our spines are changing at a faster rate than ever before. We are seeing teenagers in the office with degeneration that takes on average 10 years to show on x-rays. This means that as toddlers they began the process of degeneration rather than the process of developing the proper curves our spinal cords need to clearly send the signals necessary for the proper function of our body.

We all remember hearing our parents and grandparents tell us to sit up straight, don’t slouch, walk with our heads up, etc.…. This advice remains important as adults but even more so for the kids in our lives. With computer work, heavy backpacks, phone use, and awkward sleeping positions at early ages, these reversals in postural curves are leading to more issues at younger ages.

A scary truth is that children don’t feel pain the same way in their spine as we do as adults until puberty. This means they can’t always tell us something is wrong until they are teens. That is when they began having severe pain or organ issues that could have been avoided.

A good practice for all ages while on devices or reading is to have tummy time, yes, even as adults! This helps to keep your head and neck in a position over your shoulders while you enjoy your pastime.

Also, there are 4 simple daily exercises that will help change your life and make it more comfortable to keep a good posture and stay healthy.