Everyone has heard about the need to properly maintain posture since childhood. This is important not only for beauty, but also for health. Indeed, only in this case, the load on the spine will be distributed evenly, which will avoid disturbances in the functioning of internal organs and the development of various pathologies of the spinal column. Scoliotic posture most often appears in children and adolescents. The disease is quite well amenable to adjustment. It is important to detect the problem in a timely manner and consult a specialist to resolve it.
Correct posture - what is it?
Posture is the position of the body in which a person manages to effortlessly hold his head and body effortlessly. At the same time, the shoulders should be slightly laid back and lowered, and the abdomen tightened. A distinctive feature of correct posture is the symmetry of the shoulder blades and buttocks.
A healthy spine is the key to proper posture. The cause of defects can be both external and internal factors. Most disorders are acquired and appear at an early age. What to do if the child has a curvature of the spine? Which doctor should I contact for a consultation? Effective and professional help in this case can only be provided by an orthopedist. In the process of therapy, you may also need the help of a massage therapist. The method of treatment will depend on the degree of development of the disease.
What is scoliotic posture?
It should be noted right away that it is wrong to call scoliotic posture scoliosis. If in the first case, when the body position changes, the deformation disappears, then in the second case, a stable curvature is observed, which does not go away when the back is straightened.
A pathological phenomenon begins to develop in schoolchildren who are sitting at their desk incorrectly or regularly carry a heavy briefcase on one shoulder. According to research, more than 53% of children aged 7 to 17 years have a scoliotic posture. Frontal displacement of the vertebrae is considered a rather dangerous change that can lead to impaired functionality of internal organs and systems.
Causes
Scoliotic posture in a child is usually an acquired ailment. However, there are often cases when the pathology begins to develop against the background of congenital disorders of the development of the spinal column.
The main causes of the pathology also include:
- muscle weakness;
- severe diseases of the spine;
- complications after surgery;
- lack of minerals and trace elements necessary for the proper development of bone and cartilage;
- flat feet;
- long stay in a sitting position.
Clinical manifestations
You can see pathological changes with the naked eye. In children of primary and school age, the first sign is stoop - a protruding belly, legs bent at the knees, a round back. At this point, the situation can be easily corrected.
Back pain that occurs when you are sitting for a long time is another wake-up call that you should pay attention to. Scoliotic posture causes overstrain of some muscles. With a normal body position, the load on the spine and muscle tissue is evenly distributed, and there are no uncomfortable sensations.
If untreated at a young age, the situation will only worsen. Currently, specialists call the rib hump a frequent pathological phenomenon. This is a severe consequence of scoliosis caused by curvature of the spinal column. The hump is a compaction of muscle tissue. It forms on the side into which the spine arched.
Against the background of curvature of the spine , respiratory diseases often develop, headaches, digestive disorders occur.
Types of Scoliotic Posture
Left-sided scoliotic posture is diagnosed in rare cases. Most often, the right side is hit. Changes begin already in primary school age, when the child is forced to sit for a long time.
The first degree of posture disturbance is characterized by minor changes that can be corrected by concentrating the child’s attention on the need to properly maintain his back. At the second stage of the development of pathology, clinical manifestations are amplified. Signs of the disease completely disappear only if the child takes a horizontal position.
In the third degree of development of scoliotic posture in children, some signs of scoliosis are observed.
Treatment
Currently, scoliotic posture is diagnosed in many children and is often found in adult patients. In order to get rid of the pathological phenomenon and restore the health of the spine, it is necessary, first of all, to turn to an experienced specialist. An orthopedic surgeon will determine the degree of development of the disease and select the appropriate treatment method. In most cases, a comprehensive impact on the problem is needed.
The following methods are used to eliminate the symptoms of scoliotic posture:
- physiotherapy exercises (a set of physical exercises and the level of load is determined individually);
- therapeutic massage (it is better to combine with therapeutic exercises);
- wearing orthopedic corsets;
- manual therapy;
- constant control over the correct position of the body.
Effective exercises
Gymnastics for posture is the most effective method of getting rid of a problem. A set of exercises should be prescribed by a specialist after establishing an accurate diagnosis. Physiotherapy exercises can strengthen the muscular corset and the spine itself.
What exercises should be performed? In case of violation of posture, walking is of particular benefit. As a warm-up, you can walk on all fours. Exercise must be performed within 2-3 minutes. After that, you should walk on socks and on heels.
Having taken a supine position, it is necessary to try to tear off the shoulders and head from the floor so that the body remains motionless. Hands should be spread apart. An effective exercise is pulling the body up with the deflection of the spine back. Hands are used as a support.
Gymnastics stick will help to restore a beautiful posture. It must be held on the shoulder blades with the arms bent at the elbows, performing forward bends. Rehabilitation experts recommend putting your hands with a stick behind your back and returning to your starting position.
Gymnastics for posture is performed for 30-40 minutes daily. Obligatory physical exercises are considered to be “bicycle”, “scissors” and squats. Proper physical activity in most cases helps to completely eliminate the signs of scoliotic posture. Most often, this method of therapy is prescribed for children.
Who will help the corset?
Stooping and scoliotic posture - this is not just an incorrect body position, but also a bad habit, which in the future can lead to serious diseases. To prevent the development of serious consequences, doctors recommend wearing special orthopedic appliances called correctors.
Reduce the load on the spine and prevent its further deformation will help the corset for posture back. Adult and children's options differ not only in size, but also in design features.
Typically, this method is used in childhood, when you can get rid of the problem quickly enough. Posture correctors are recommended to be worn by children during the period of intensive growth, when there is a huge risk of scoliosis. For therapeutic purposes, devices are prescribed for babies with congenital spinal pathologies.
How to choose a corset for an adult?
Adult patients are usually required to wear therapeutic body posture correctors. They help prevent the progression of the pathological condition and prevent the onset of pain.
An adult corset for back posture should be acquired only after diagnosis and determination of the type and degree of curvature of the spine. For minor violations, it is recommended to use an elastic corset. It allows you to fix the spine in the correct position and relieve the lumbar region. With more serious violations, only a tough view of posture correctors will help. Rigid plates are sewn into the tapes of such a device, which prevent the body from adopting a “favorite” pose.
Magnetic correctors that relieve muscle fatigue, stoop, pain in all parts of the spine are popular. In the presence of severe pathological processes, orthopedists recommend that adults wear declinators. The fixture looks like two straps that intersect on the back in the area of the shoulder blades. The device helps to keep the shoulders at the same height from the floor.
Choose a child corset for posture
Children's corrector for the back can be preventive and therapeutic. Using an orthopedic device is recommended for scoliotic posture, the first degree of scoliosis, stoop. The product must be made of natural materials and have a size that matches the parameters of the child.
The stiffness of the corrector is selected depending on the degree of curvature of the spine. Posture corset (for children) can be a vest. This kind of orthopedic products is used when there are problems in the upper part of the spine. Reclinators for children can be worn no more than 4 hours a day.