For generations, adults have corrected children’s posture. “Don’t slouch!” parents have scolded. “Sit up straight!” teachers have cried. Even when I was young, before we had smartphones to exacerbate our slumped shoulders, it was drummed into us to have good, or neutral, posture where the bones, joints and muscles are stacked in a balanced way. This is because when our posture is anatomically neutral, the body is in harmony with all parts working together. With this stature, we maintain wellbeing, prevent pain and improve breathing.
Physical impacts
Today, both adults and kids alike are fighting an uphill battle to maintain neutral alignment. The overuse of mobile phones, gaming, sitting at desks all day and staring at television screens all evening mean we consistently slump. As we hunch, the head drops, flexing the neck, rolling the shoulders forward and limiting the diaphragm from being able to take a full breath. Commonly known as “tech neck” or “text neck”, it creates stress and strain in the cervical spine, shoulders and thoracic, which in turn causes tension, discomfort, chronic pain, spinal misalignment, weakened muscles and breathing difficulties.
“Physically, when we hunch, our chest and shoulders can feel restricted and tight. This can affect
