Very often, the first impression of the person you first saw is formed by the proportions of the figure, gait, posture and general appearance. Moreover, it is beautiful posture that plays an important role in shaping the assessment of the appearance. Particular attention to the correct posture of a person is dictated not only by aesthetic considerations, but also by concern for his state of health, because it largely depends on the health of the spine.
Correct posture depends on a number of interrelated reasons, although most of the features of the posture are innate. However, with the help of special exercises, the innate qualities of posture can be changed for the better. Posture is considered correct when a person standing at ease, without extra efforts, keeps his head and body straight. People with proper posture have a light gait, their shoulders are slightly lowered and laid back, their stomach is tucked up, their chest is in front, and their legs are bent at the knees.
The most common disorders of posture (lordosis, kyphosis, stoop, flat back) and lateral curvature of the spine (scoliosis) are found in children of school and preschool age. So, according to outpatient examinations, about 85% of preschool children and 90% of school-age children have some external characteristic features that confirm that they have a violation of posture.
Correct posture is formed in a person from childhood, in the process of his growth and development. Defects and impaired posture in children, as well as curvature of the spine, can develop already in infancy. The main causes of these disorders are the uneven development of the muscles of the trunk or their weakness. In addition, the development of posture defects is facilitated by wearing the baby on one arm, too early attempts to put the baby and put him on the legs, sagging and too soft bed. Violation of posture can be caused by the constant conduct of the child with one hand while walking, clothing and furniture that is not appropriate for the size of the child. Very often, pupils' poor posture occurs as a result of carrying a briefcase in the same hand, drawing and reading in bed, due to riding a bicycle under the frame for adults, the habit of standing, leaning on one leg.
The most common violation of posture is the so-called stoop, in which a person’s shoulder joints are brought forward, the head is lowered, the shoulder blades resemble wings, the back is round, and the chest is flat. With kyphosis, most of all, curvature is manifested in the cervical and thoracic spine, and with lordosis in the lumbar. Violation of posture, called a flat back, is characterized by slightly pronounced bends of the spine.
First, a violation of posture does not lead to changes in the spine, but if the wrong posture becomes a habit and the causes that contribute to its maintenance are not eliminated, changes in the spine begin to appear, it bends and scoliosis appears.
Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine, which is also accompanied by the appearance of a rib hump. Among the acquired forms of scoliosis, there are:
- rickets scoliosis that occurred after rickets;
- school ("habitual") scoliosis that arose against the background of incorrect postures and posture;
- static scoliosis, often occurring with various development of the lower extremities and lateral standing of the pelvis;
- paralytic scoliosis resulting from damage to the muscles of the trunk (after polio);
- cicatricial scoliosis (after surgery on the chest or constricting scars after a burn);
- traumatic scoliosis;
- reflex pain scoliosis, which arose on the basis of damage to nerve roots.
The result of a violation of posture is an overstrain of various muscle groups, leading to dysfunction, tension headaches, pain in the cervical spine, between the shoulder blades and in the lumbar region. In addition, children develop lethargy, irritability, impaired attention and sleep.