We are seeing more and more middle school and high school kids with rounded shoulders. I am sure you remember your mom telling you to stand up straight! Standing up straight is great! It aligns the spine and lets the spine do what it is supposed to do by supporting all of our muscles. If we slouch we have to use other muscles and joints to take the brunt. This causes joint pain and muscle spasms.
What is happening? Well, it is the iPhone age. I call this the iPhone rounded shoulder problem. When we sit on our computers without proper support or stare at an iPhone etc. we assume the slouch. That slouch means that our chest muscles are contracting. Teach your kids to stretch these muscle every time they get up from the ‘device’. The easiest stretch is clasp your hands behind your back and pull back and out or to place your hands on a doorway and lean forward. Do the stretch for 20 seconds.
Remember, straight is great!
