Incorrect posture, while sitting in front of a computer for long can strain the eyes, neck, and back. It’s not just the adults who are affected. Kids, as young as 5 are now complaining of back pain and aches. Preteens and teenagers are being diagnosed with acute problems like spondylosis.

Tips to reduce back pain, improve posture during your child’s online classes

Experts feel that the problem can be aggravated by long hours of online schooling, improper sitting, and lack of physical activity by children.

Long screen time can impair your child’s spine and lead to back stiffness, physical fatigue, and other health problems. With some more months extended into online learning, it has become all the more imperative that good posture and a suitable learning environment must be crafted even at home.

We tell you 5 things to do to support your child’s studies, and his or her health while they continue with online coaching and studies:

1.Fix a steady desk position

A home desk should be patterned similar to that of a classroom. Do not encourage them to slouch, lie down, and watch classes on their gadgets.

Encourage them to maintain proper posture while they are sitting and studying at the table. Their feet should touch the ground, screen elevated at the right level so that they don’t have to slouch and look straight ahead at the computer screen.

If you have a child younger than 8, consider getting a special desk or chair which suits their structure and doesn’t harm their back.

2. Encourage stretching breaks between classes

Too much screentime is bad for your body as it can induce unnecessary stress on your eyes, neck, and back muscles. Long hours sitting down can also turn your little ones physically inactive.

A simple solution to this would be to tell them to take frequent breaks between classes. It could be a simple walk around the room or doing routine exercises that would stretch the muscles and improve flexibility. As a rule, every individual should get up for 5-10 minutes every hour and take a short walk.

Older kids can also try using a standing desk, which may even improve productivity

3. Support their lower back

When we sit and focus on the laptop, we put a lot of stress on our lower back muscles and lumbar region. The extra stress is also one of the reasons why a lot of children tend to slouch or have bad posture, which can end up causing problems later on. To fix this problem, try and support their lower back by rolling a comfortable pillow or towel at the back of the chair when they sit. This would make their desk a lot more comfortable.

4. Do not encourage them to watch classes on the phone

If possible, instruct children to attend classes and complete assignments on a computer unit, preferably affixed to a desk. Mobiles and tablets have a smaller screen, which is bad for their eyes. Kids who attend classes on the phone are more likely to lean back on the couch, bed, and be less attentive as well. Therefore, it’s crucial you maintain a good study environment if you want their performance to match that of a classroom setting.

5. Serve them a healthy diet

Lastly, make sure your kid gets all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed for growing ages. A complete, healthy meal that contains a rich source of calcium, magnesium, Vitamin B12, and D would help them strengthen muscles and bones, and may even combat the ill-effects of long hours of sitting and bad postural habits.

Reference: Times of India

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