Over the years, technology has become an increasingly important tool in the classroom. Now, with the shift to virtual learning by many school systems, that technology has made it possible for children to learn remotely. But it also means that children are spending more time seated in front of a computer, doing school.
From attending their classes virtually to completing assignments and modules online, many children are spending the majority of their day sitting in front of a computer. But what about their posture? Our team of chiropractors at Senara Health and Healing Center & Spa in Peoria want to make sure that your child is getting the most support — especially when it comes to their computer posture.
Get a better understanding of how your child should be sitting for the best support, and request an appointment with our chiropractor to help reduce any stress or strain on their body from their new virtual learning environment.
Proper Desk Posture for Children
It won’t be the first time your child has heard the phrase “sit up straight” (and it probably won’t be the last!). But when it comes to computer desk posture, sitting up straight is important to help prevent damage to their back and causing other problems in the future.
After a long day of classes and schoolwork, your child might be tempted to slump over their computer. But you can use the below infographic as a starting point for explaining to your child the best way to sit when they’re at their computer.
It’s also good to encourage your children to stand up and move around when they’re having trouble focusing on the computer. Even taking a moment for a little break where they can stand up, shake off, and stretch can make it easier for them to come back and sit in a way that won’t cause them pain or damage.
At Senara, we want to encourage you to look at how your child usually sits at the computer and finds ways to modify their space to best support their head, neck, back, arms, and legs.
Head and Neck
Make sure the screen they’re looking at is level with their eyes. If the computer is too high, they will tilt their neck back to look up at the screen. Find a different chair or table to bring them up to computer height.
On the other hand, if the computer is too low, they will bend their neck down to look at the screen. Find some boxes or books that can be stacked under the monitors, bringing it up to their eye level.
These small adjustments will keep their head held in a neutral position, reducing stress on their neck — and helping to prevent them from developing text neck in the future!
Back
When it comes to supporting your child’s back when they’re sitting at their computer, it’s about more than just sitting up straight. If your child is spending a lot of time on the computer, look at where they’re sitting. Are they sitting on the floor, causing them to hunch down to reach their computer? Are they sitting on a stool with no back support?
Beyond encouraging your child to sit with a straight back, find them a chair that supports them. Add an extra cushion to the bottom or back of the chair, or have them scoot their chair closer to the table so they don’t have to lean to reach the keyboard. All of these changes will keep your child from being tempted to lean in a way that’s bad for their back.
Arms
Is there enough space for your child to rest their arms on the keyboard without bending or stretching them? You want to create a system where your child can reach the keyword while also holding their wrists in a neutral position for typing. This will keep their shoulders relaxed and at a 90-degree angle, reducing stress from the wrists all the way through the arms and down the back.
Legs
Take a look at how your child sits when they’re at the computer. For the best posture, you want to have them sit somewhere where they can place their feet flat on the ground. If they’re not tall enough to reach the ground, place some boxes or books below them so they can place their feet flat.
This position will keep their back straight and give them a 90-degree angle with their knees, just like you want with their arms.
Bring Your Children to Senara to See Our Chiropractor
After a long day of school work, it might be challenging to keep your children sitting straight and focused on their computer. But creating a space that supports them while they’re sitting will also create a space where they can be successful in their school work.
From there, you can schedule your child with a chiropractor at Senara Health and Healing Center & Spa in Peoria to discuss what other changes would best support your child during their virtual learning experience.
Learn more about how our chiropractor can help the entire family on our blog: