To shape a good body, 6-12 years old is the key!

Since March 1, my country has implemented the latest version of the "Growth Standards for Children Under 7 Years Old", which clearly stipulates the various indicators of growth and development for children of different ages. Compared with the previous version, the "standard values" of height for children of most age groups have increased. For example, for 6-year-old girls, the previous standard median height was 116.6 cm, and the new standard is 117.5 cm, an increase of 0.9 cm; the previous standard median height for 6-year-old boys was 117.7 cm, and the new standard is 118.8 cm, an increase of 1.1 cm.

As living standards improve, children are getting more adequate nutrition and more scientific nutrition for their growth. At the same time, with the advancement of diagnosis and treatment technology and the increase of parents' awareness, more attention has been paid to the development and health of children and adolescents, and they are generally taller than the previous generation. In addition to well-known influencing factors such as genes and nutrition, the body posture of children and adolescents at all times in their daily lives is also one of the factors that affect their height.

Good posture shapes good temperament. Body posture refers to whether the body's bones are arranged correctly, whether the body functions are abnormal, and the overall performance of the postures of various parts of the body when completing an action.

Correct body posture means that the body can maintain a stable state for a long time in an upright or sitting position, maintain the normal functions of various tissues and organs, and keep the joints, ligaments and muscles in an appropriate degree of tension.

For children, a good posture not only makes them look upright and confident, but also helps with bone health and growth and development. Many parents still have limited understanding of body posture, such as "hunchback", "uneven shoulders due to carrying a shoulder bag", and "good posture is only related to temperament".

Common abnormal body postures include forward head extension, uneven shoulders, hunchback (thoracic kyphosis), anterior pelvic tilt, flat waist (straightening of lumbar curvature), etc., which not only greatly reduce the child's temperament and image, but more importantly, affect their growth and development.

6-12 years old is the key data. According to the data, 68.7% of adolescents in my country have 2 or more body posture problems, and 80% of adolescents have at least 1 body posture problem. Abnormal body posture is very common among children and adolescents. The incidence of uneven shoulders, thoracic kyphosis, forward head extension and long and short legs are all over 50%. Some children and adolescents have multiple abnormal body posture manifestations, which is a very serious problem.

The age at which children and adolescents are prone to abnormal body posture is between 6 and 12 years old. The bones of children and adolescents are characterized by good elasticity and toughness but poor hardness. The musculoskeletal system, which is still in the process of maturation and adaptation, has a small load-bearing capacity, so it is easily deformed by external forces, and the bones are constantly developing as children grow and develop.

No matter how busy you are, you must make time for activities. Sitting for long periods of time is an important cause of abnormal posture in children and adolescents. The longer the sitting time, the higher the degree of abnormal posture. Physical activity is an independent factor that promotes healthy posture.

The definition of physical activity includes walking, cycling, sports and any form of entertainment and leisure. This means that improving abnormal body posture is not limited to increasing physical exercise. When teenagers have to face excessive academic pressure and too long study time, actively improving daily travel methods, appropriately increasing housework, and participating in entertainment and leisure activities can reduce the harm caused by long-term sitting and help teenagers develop good body posture.

If children and adolescents reach the internationally recommended amount of physical activity, which is at least 60 minutes of moderate to high-intensity physical activity a day, they can reduce 20.8% of posture abnormalities caused by prolonged sitting.

Moderate-intensity physical activity refers to physical activity that requires moderate exertion, with faster breathing than usual, faster heart rate, and slight sweating, but you can still talk easily, such as brisk walking, cycling at normal speed, etc. High-intensity physical activity refers to physical activity that requires more exertion, with significantly faster breathing than usual, a significant increase in breathing depth and heart rate, sweating, and you can only talk after stopping exercise and adjusting your breathing, such as lifting heavy objects, fast running, and playing ball and football vigorously.

In addition, overweight or obese children and adolescents are more likely to have abnormal body posture, especially uneven shoulders and forward head extension. Therefore, while children and adolescents increase their physical activity, they also need to emphasize balanced nutrition and maintain appropriate weight gain.

When a person's body posture is abnormal, not only will the physical appearance and mental outlook be affected to a certain extent, but in severe cases it will also affect the functions of the body's internal organs, and may even eventually lead to certain physiological defects and diseases.

For example, incorrect posture in daily study and writing and long-term use of mobile phones and tablets will increase the burden on the cervical spine. If you do not pay attention to maintaining correct posture and increase physical activity, it will often increase the risk of cervical diseases such as straightening of the natural curvature of the cervical spine and cervical disc herniation, and even lead to scoliosis and various body posture problems. Over time, it will cause adverse reactions such as back pain, decreased digestive function, headache and fatigue, which will greatly affect the physical health of children and adolescents.

Walking and sitting are three-pronged, with a straight and good posture. The correct and healthy standing posture should be that the longitudinal axis of the head, torso and feet are in a vertical line, with the chest raised, abdomen tucked in, neck straight, and arms hanging naturally. In this way, the inherent curve of the human spine can be shown.

Walking - When walking, the body should move straight and steadily, the arms should hang naturally and swing in a coordinated manner, the knees should face forward, the toes should be slightly outward, the heels of the two feet should be almost in a straight line, the degree of bending of the two legs when moving forward alternately should not be too large, and the steps should be steady and even. Students should use double-shoulder backpacks to balance the two sides of the spine and not easily cause scoliosis. When two people walk together, do not put their hands on each other's shoulders.

Sitting - When sitting on a chair, you should sit on the entire surface of the chair to maintain a good posture. Students should keep their chests and abdomens straight when listening to lectures, and their lower limbs should be placed properly and not too wide; when writing, pay attention to "one fist, one foot, one inch". In addition, proper tables and chairs should be provided for primary and secondary school students to enable them to maintain a good sitting posture.

In addition to developing the above good habits, it is also important to maintain a good body shape, strengthen physical activities appropriately, and have a balanced diet.

The best treatment for abnormal posture is prevention. This process requires parents to set an example and observe carefully, and it also requires children and adolescents to improve their awareness of posture health and master basic knowledge. If the posture problem is in a mild state, a targeted exercise prescription can be formulated to correct the posture over a long period of time through exercise, so that the posture can gradually return to a good state; if the posture problem is more serious, you may need to go to the hospital for surgery to restore the posture to normal.

References:

[1] Department of Youth Sports of the General Administration of Sport of China. The whole society works together to support the backbone of youth [EB/OL]. 2022-09-30.

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[3] Sheng Junlong. Study on the current status and testing methods of body posture of children and adolescents in Beijing[D]. Beijing: Beijing Sport University, 2019.

[4] Wei Ming, Niu Xuesong, Wu Hao. Realistic path for the prevention and treatment of abnormal body shape in adolescents under the perspective of sports and medicine integration[J]. Journal of Shenyang Sport University, 2022, 41(4):7.

[5] Shanghai Preventive Medicine Association. Health Education Guidance for Primary and Secondary School Students[M]. Shanghai: Shanghai People's Publishing House, 2005.

[6] Zhao Xiufa, Li Chao, Liu Yang, et al. Relationship between physical activity, sedentary behavior and body posture health among primary school students[J]. Chinese Journal of School Health, 2022, 43(08): 1215-1219.

[7] Wang Fubaihui, Li Yaqian, Guo Xiaodan, et al. Sedentary time, physical activity and abnormal body posture in adolescents[J]. Chinese Youth Research, 2021(6):5-12.