Why Is Good Posture Important?

Posture is our ability to maintain and regain our balance. A strong, dynamic (ready-to-move) sitting posture is necessary to free up a child’s arms, hands and fingers to perform activities such as writing in the classroom and throwing and catching in the playground.

- Tracy Prowse

Core strength or core stability is the capacity of the muscles of the torso to assist in the maintenance of good posture and balance, especially during movement. It is our postural muscle strength that we use during all wakeful activities such as sitting, standing, during sport, or playing on the monkey bars, for example.

Any activity or movement that we do is a composition of harmonious cooperation from every muscle in the body. Various experts have attempted to divide the body’s muscles into postural or core, and prime mover categories as a way of deciding what muscles need to be developed or activated to have better core strength or posture. This is a useful concept and one that physiotherapists use in their rehabilitation programmes. However, we cannot place excessive attention on strengthening the core alone without paying attention to the rest of the body’s muscles. So, as a general rule of thumb, overall strength and conditioning exercise programmes for children are wonderful but they need to focus on all areas of the child’s development, not just their core.

Moreover, as a parent, you can be the best ‘physiotherapist’ in the world by taking your child to the park or the playground and getting him to climb trees, swing and navigate new and exciting places. This will activate and strengthen as much, if not more, core than any pre-designed exercise programme that you may come across.