Children need constant training of their back muscles. This is especially true for schoolchildren, because they have to sit at their desks for a long time during lessons, and then also do homework.

Get ready to exercise!

Every morning it is necessary to involve children in physical exercise. It's good if it happens family tradition, because the child does not understand why he should do exercises, but adults do not. What exercises are recommended to do to strengthen the back muscles?

Forward bends

Try to straighten your body by stretching upward, and then bend down, touching your toes to your feet.

Press

Working out your abs is good not only for your stomach, but also for your lower back. Lie on your back and bend your body, trying not to lift your feet off the floor. Knees bent.

Twisting the body

Place your hands on your waist and rotate your entire body to the right and left.

Hip rotation

Place your feet shoulder-width apart and make circular movements with your pelvis. You can use a hoop to enhance the effect: this trains not only your back, but also your abs.

boat

Lie on your stomach and raise your legs and arms extended forward at the same time. Stay in this position.

Cat

A cat can be evil and good. An evil cat arches its back, and a good cat bends it.

Video clip

Sit on the floor. Pull your knees towards your chin and round your back. Roll gently from a sitting position to a backrest and back.

The largest human complex of organs (the spine) serves as the basis for attaching the articular apparatus, physiologically correct location internal organs. It ensures motor activity and metabolic processes.

Spine health is one of the main conditions normal development person at any age. Imperfection of the muscle corset, immaturity of bone and muscle tissues become common reasons the occurrence of scoliosis and other vertebral pathologies that will appear when the baby grows up.

Exercises for children to strengthen the back muscles have been developed for almost any age, but their implementation requires not so much effort from the mother as patience and perseverance. A daily complex can relieve back problems that will inevitably appear during the school period of his life.

Exercises to strengthen your back at any age help you perform several vital tasks:

• strengthening physical health;
• stimulation of mental development;
• formation of a muscle corset;
• preventing the occurrence of deformities and curvatures of the spine;
• prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• stimulation of metabolic processes and intracellular metabolism;
• increased flow to the head and spinal cord oxygen and nutrients.

Therapeutic exercise for the spine for children, recommended for children who have problems with the spine, its formation and development, may not be necessary. This happens if you systematically prepare your child for the loads that his spine will face in school, adolescence and adulthood. That is why modern pediatrics recommends starting back exercises from an early age and carrying them out on a systematic basis.

For the little ones (0+)

You can work out with your baby almost from birth, strengthening not only the back, but also the muscles of the legs and neck, stimulating their motor activity with elementary poses and movements. You can practice swimming from 5 months, fitball from 8 months, and from the same age you can practice wall bars.

These restrictions are very conditional and can be adjusted taking into account individual development. Some mothers begin to perform exercises and gymnastics for children with a fitball from birth, placing the newborn on the tummy and rhythmically rocking. Such activities stimulate the head holding reflex and the digestion process. The simplest exercises for early ages in the attached video:

There are many ways to strengthen the back muscles of a baby when he is healthy. But if there is visual signs developmental delays, you should consider using more serious complexes and treatment methods, which can be started after consultation with a doctor. Such methods include exercise therapy, physiotherapy in various ways effects, therapeutic massage, gymnastics and even drug treatment.

For children from 3 years old

At three years of age (and older) up to the age of 6, when the formation of correct posture and preparation for a long static position at a school desk begins, the child can already be sent to dancing, gymnastics, or continue classes in the pool. Swimming is an ideal workout not only for a healthy spine, but also for one that has begun to develop scoliosis.

Correct posture can be instilled if you monitor the absence of a relaxed posture and hunched back, require rest with a straight spine and acquire the correct orthopedic mattress. A simple and accessible complex in the attached video:

For preschool and school age children

At this age, it is recommended not only to conduct regular training to maintain physiological posture, but also to monitor the condition of the spine. Daily morning exercises, which are strongly recommended by experts, are not feasible for everyone, because this is a difficult and busy time of getting ready for school, but exercises for correct posture are quite possible to do after returning from school.

If the moment for preventive exercises has been missed, special complexes recommended for scoliosis should be carried out and this should be done systematically and persistently, not forgetting to ensure physical activity, healthy sleep on the right mattress, playing recommended sports and limiting the time spent at the computer desk.

Other ways to strengthen your back for children

There are many ways to strengthen your back that will help your child throughout school and adult life. This includes dancing, gymnastics, fitness, yoga, and the inevitable swimming, which you can and should do regularly. Health largely depends on the love, affection, attention and care that his parents show towards him.

Caring for the healthy future of a newborn baby can begin from the first days of his birth. The more carefully and regularly the measures to strengthen it are carried out, the greater the likelihood of a future without pathologies, hospitals, drugs and corsets.

When thinking about proper and rational nutrition, caring about the development of motor and motor functions, trying to raise healthy offspring, you should definitely think about how to strengthen your child’s back.

By intelligently forming a muscular spinal corset and doing this from the infant period, you can ensure correct posture, a healthy spine, and the absence of curvatures and deformities of the spinal column.

- not simple and painstaking work. We try to teach the child to count and read, write and draw, develop in children independence and the ability to interact in a team. Have you ever thought about whether your child’s back is ready to face the load that schooling entails?
Each first grader spends approximately 3 hours in a sitting position every day. And if the child does homework, even up to 2 hours of sedentary mode. Well, when the child’s rest consists of watching TV and playing on the computer, the back again remains motionless. The situation is aggravated by the fact that school or home furniture are not always suitable for the child’s height or the child himself takes the wrong position at a desk, table or chair. But the “conspiracy” against weak back muscles does not end there; the child wears (most often on one shoulder) a heavy backpack or bag. All this explains the disappointing statistics on development among schoolchildren - about 85% of children nowadays suffer from various spinal defects. Unfortunately, busy parents notice a visible deterioration in their child’s posture too late, when the disorders become permanent. And treatment in this case takes years, and the result is most often partial.
How to prevent deterioration of a child’s posture? Through regular activities aimed at strengthening all the muscles of the back and abdominals. After all, only strong muscles can hold the spine of a growing child in the correct position.

How to strengthen your child's back muscles

Visit to the swimming pool. Do everything in your power to enable your child to go to the swimming pool regularly. Swimming and exercise in water have a positive effect on a child's muscle tone. And in addition to strong muscles, your baby will acquire a good appetite, strong, and become more tempered.
Dancing or gymnastics. Try to find a dance club or gymnastics studio where the child’s health comes first. Most of these sections give the child’s back muscles a good workout, which has a beneficial effect on the baby’s posture and general well-being.
Exercises on the horizontal bar, stairs and monkey bars. When you go out for a walk with your child on the playground, do not rush to put your baby on a swing or carousel. Help your child climb ladders, hang on horizontal bars, and move his hands on monkey bars. In this case, your walk will turn into the prevention of scoliosis, which is very valuable for the baby’s health.
Therapeutic exercise at home. If you do not have the opportunity to go to the pool, gymnastics, or play on the playground with your child, conduct a daily lesson with your child at home physical therapy. Especially for readers of MirSovetov, I present a set of exercises that are carried out by rehabilitation trainers for children with a predisposition or postural defects. The exercises are given with names so that physical education takes place in a fun and playful way for the child.
Place a fitness mat on the floor and ask your child to lie on it with his back.
Do each exercise for at least 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time to 3 minutes.

A set of exercises for the prevention of scoliosis in children

Exercise 1. “Riding a bicycle.” The child, lying on his back, “twists” imaginary bicycle pedals in the air, forward and backward.
Exercise 2. “Cutting with scissors.” The child, lying on his back, swings his straight legs horizontally, while crossing his legs.
Exercise 3. “The bun rolled.” The child, sitting on the mat, pulls his legs bent at the knees towards him, clasps them with his arms and begins to “swing” on his back, each time trying to return to a sitting position.
Exercise 4. “Bridge over the road.” The child lies on his back, legs bent at the knees, feet on the floor, arms along the body. The child lifts the pelvis off the floor and bends, trying to raise the pelvis as high as possible, remains in this position for 5 seconds and lies down.
Exercise 5. “Acrobat in the circus.” The child lies on his back, arms along his body, raises his legs straight and tries to touch his toes to the floor behind his head.
Exercise 6. “Kitten.” The child stands on all fours, bends his back down, raising his head up, then bends his back up, lowering his head down.
Exercise 7. “Driving a car.” The child stands on all fours, you take him by the ankles and “lead” him around the room, and he moves his hands along the floor.
Exercise 8. “Basket for berries.” The child lies on his stomach, grabs his ankles with his hands and stretches as high as possible, forming a large basket.
Exercise 9. “Swimmer”. The child, lying on his stomach, swings his arms and legs straight in the air, imitating swimming.
Exercise 10. “Spring”. The child, lying on his stomach, lifts his straight arms and legs off the floor and thus freezes in the air for several seconds.
Exercise 11. “Boat”.
The child, lying on his stomach, lifts his straight arms and legs off the floor and remains in this position for as long as possible. Increase the time for performing this very useful exercise gradually to several minutes (at this time the child should not touch the floor with his hands or feet).

What else to remember

Please pay attention Special attention child nutrition, sufficient quantity Protein and vitamins entering the child's body will help your preschooler be slim and vigorous.
And don't forget about daily walks fresh air, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the child’s body will produce something useful for bones.

Tension in the body and spine caused by incorrect static and dynamic posture in children is dangerous due to the acquisition of many bad habits, further influencing the child’s growth and his future postural reflexes - ensuring the correct position of the body in space. This is why it is so important to take care of your child’s healthy posture in a timely manner. First of all, it is necessary to instill in the child the love and habit of an active lifestyle, and, if necessary, pay attention to physical therapy (physical therapy) classes.

The essence of exercises for developing correct posture in children

Posture is the body’s ability to control its position in space, overcoming the action of external forces (gravity, reaction of support, resistance and inertia).

This applies to both static (sitting in one position) and dynamic (maintaining balance) posture.

Frequent postural defects: lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis and stoop. Such postural defects can be combined with scoliosis

Perhaps you have heard of proprioception? This is the feeling of the muscles of your body and the position of its individual parts in space in a healthy person. Proprioception works through receptors located in the skin, muscles and joints to create an internal image of your body. Children's posture is a subject of increasing interest to parents. Good posture is very important for both preschoolers and junior schoolchildren

and teenagers. It’s not news to anyone that the correct position of the spine is formed from childhood, especially attention should be paid to it during the so-called phases of rapid growth: at 6–7 years old, and also at 11–12 years old.

Since most modern children lead a sedentary lifestyle (studying at school, playing on the computer, watching TV), there is a shortage of active physical movements. And this entails a violation of posture. Even if the child has not yet discovered any back problems, an active lifestyle is an excellent prevention. Taking into account the child’s interests, you can enroll him in swimming, horse riding, and martial arts. These sports perfectly form the basis of healthy posture. To correct existing problems, as well as, from a preventive point of view, if there is an anatomical location, it is necessary to introduce the child to special gymnastics in a timely manner. Therapeutic and preventive physical training complex against postural defects in

• childhood
• correcting the position of the spinal column - used to get rid of postural disorders or to stop the progression of curvatures.

The positive effect of exercise therapy on the health of the body is expressed in such changes as:

• strengthening the muscle corset and achieving functional symmetry;
• qualitative development of motor functions;
• stimulation of metabolism;
• fitness of the heart and lungs;
• stabilization of the psycho-emotional background;
• tonic and restorative effect on the body;
• elimination of deformation - in mild forms - or stopping progression (in complex cases).

A necessary condition for exercising exercise therapy for spinal deformities, especially in initial stages treatment are the initial unloading poses (lying, standing).

Prohibited exercises for postural defects

There are 4 types of posture according to Staffel. The first type is a healthy posture with normal physiological curves of the spine, which allows you to absorb loads, evenly distributing them across the spinal column and ligamentous-muscular apparatus. The remaining three types reflect certain disorders in the thoracic or lumbar region.

Each type of disorder implies an incorrect position of the entire spinal structure. Therefore, when influencing, for example, the thoracic region through physical education, it is imperative to also take into account the condition of the cervical and lumbar spine. To avoid “distortions” it is necessary to refrain from certain types of exercises. In case of spinal deformities, the following should be avoided in physical therapy:

• excessive bends in the thoracic and lumbar regions;
• static exercises with a hard load on the back (especially in a sitting position);
• sudden jerks, turns, twists;
• unilateral lifting of weights;
• uneven load on the body;
• acrobatic elements (stand on shoulder blades, head or arms, bridge, birch tree, somersaults);
• speed running, jumping, dismounts (concussions excessively injure the spine);
• exercises that overstretch the spine with a rounded, unstable back (passive hangings).

Indications and contraindications for exercise therapy

Physical therapy against postural defects is indicated for any type of postural disorder, since this is the only way to specifically strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the trunk. Physical therapy is necessary for a patient if he:

• flat back - physiological curves are not sufficiently pronounced, flat chest and protruding different sides shoulder blades. The elasticity and shock-absorbing properties of the spine are insufficient, it is prone to various curvatures;
• rounded back - formed due to increased physiological kyphosis of the thoracic region, in order to balance it in the lumbar and cervical region, a compensatory pronounced lordosis is also formed. Due to excessive deflections, the spine is excessively mobile. Lateral curvature is not typical for this type of posture;
• stooped back - kyphosis of the thoracic region predominates, against the background of other mild deflections. Scoliotic posture is characteristic: one shoulder (scapula) is higher than the other. A stooped back is a pathology that occurs at any age.

Slouching is the most common postural defect. Most often occurs in teenage girls. It is characterized by increased cervical lordosis, which gives the impression that the person is “sad”, the head and shoulders are tilted forward.

A necessary condition for successful treatment is a nutritious diet, an active lifestyle, body weight control, and walks in the fresh air. The sleeping surface must be hard. Workplace The child must be selected according to his height so that he does not slouch or bend his back to one side. The light should come from the left side. Timely vision testing is also important.

There are no absolute contraindications for practicing therapeutic gymnastics, since the doctor will always select a complex that is individual in complexity and aimed at improving the child’s posture. But with some concomitant conditions and diseases, you should refrain from exercise until your health stabilizes. Relative contraindications include:

• acute inflammatory diseases;
• virus or infection with fever;
• joint or muscle pain;
• the presence of rapidly progressive curvature of the spine (scoliosis).

When acute inflammation or pain has passed, you can begin exercising, carefully starting with the simplest and easiest exercises.

Preparatory stage

After the physiotherapist has determined the type of postural deformation, contraindications are excluded, and associated factors are taken into account - the patient is prescribed a certain complex of exercise therapy aimed at correcting and eliminating defects. Before starting the complex, you need to make sure that the child is provided with sufficient comfort, nothing bothers him or threatens his well-being.

Here are some preparation rules:

Classes are held in specially equipped medical rooms accompanied by an instructor - a physiotherapist. In the future, simple complexes can be practiced at home.

Any exercise therapy complex consists of three stages:

• warm-up - for example, walking in place or in a circle, spinning and swinging your arms and legs;
• basic exercises - a specific complex aimed at eliminating the defect;
• stretching and relaxation - gentle stretching of the main muscle groups.

General rules for performing exercises:

1. You need to exercise at least three times a week. The duration of one lesson is no more than 30 minutes for children 6–7 years old, 45–60 minutes for teenagers;
2. In parallel with gymnastics, it is necessary to accustom children to correct technique breath, do not hold it. As you exhale, elements are performed with effort;
3. At first, movements should be careful and smooth - no jerks or accelerated pace! The complexity of the elements increases gradually from lesson to lesson;
4. Before the start of classes, the child should be warned about the need to report pain or discomfort to the physiotherapist if it occurs;
5. You should feel good on the day of classes, without any deviations;
6. You can't study late in the evening;
7. From the first lessons, you need to pay enough attention to the correct exercise technique (back straight, shoulders straight, chin slightly raised);
8. To obtain the effect, consistency and regularity are important. You cannot miss classes without a serious reason.

Therapeutic exercises must be performed regularly, otherwise the effect will be weak and inexpressive.

It is important that the child trusts the physiotherapist and does not hesitate to comment on his feelings during physical exercise.

Physical training complex for the prevention of poor posture in children and adolescents

To perform, you need a sports mat and a gymnastic stick (children 6–9 years old need the help of an adult). The number of repetitions of each exercise is 6–7 times:

Preventive exercises for anatomical posture in children: video

Exercises for kyphosis in children

The complex can be used as a prophylaxis for juvenile kyphosis (Scheuermann-Mau disease) in children 10–12 years old. If physical therapy is started on time, then early age This posture can be easily corrected. Physical therapy, however, needs to be done regularly for at least a year. If time is lost, then correcting kyphosis in adulthood is already very difficult, due to anatomical changes in the vertebrae. Each exercise should be repeated 5 times unless otherwise indicated.

1. Warm up: walking in place or in a circle for 1–2 minutes; the arms are raised, the entire body is stretched on the toes as much as possible (inhale), when exhaling, the arms are lowered (do 3–5 times).
2. Lie flat on your stomach, stretched out in one line, with your head on one side. Lift your torso and arms from the horizontal surface, your head is a continuation of your spine, and pause for 5 seconds in this position. Your back should be kept straight and your legs should not be raised - the instructor can hold them down (do this 5 times).
3. Perform the exercise by analogy with the previous one, only straight arms are spread to the sides, like “airplane wings”; another version of this exercise, when the arms are bent at the elbows, like small wings, the hands are in fists at shoulder level, the shoulder blades are brought together; then the child lowers his arms along the body and again lifts the upper part of the body from the floor (do each option 5 times).
4. A more complex exercise, consisting of the elements of the previous ones, lying on his stomach, the child lifts the upper part of the body from the floor and in this position changes the position of the arms: along the body, bends at the elbows, straightens forward, bends at the elbows again, again along the body. It is important to monitor the position of your legs and head.
5. Initial pose: lie on your back, shoulders and arms down, shoulder blades and lower back in maximum contact with the floor. Raise your legs, bend your knees and form a right angle, fix for 5 seconds and return to the starting position. When lifting the legs, the instructor initially fixes the stomach with his hand so that the child does not bend his lower back.
6. In the same position: straight leg raises to an angle of 45 degrees with the floor. And also fix it for 5 seconds each time you lift it. It is necessary to control that the shoulder girdle and lower back do not leave the ground.
7. An exercise combined from the previous two: lift your straight legs off the floor at an angle of 45 degrees, bend your knees, straighten them again and smoothly lower them to the floor.
8. Exercise “scissors”: lying on your back, raise your straight legs at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor and perform horizontal swings with your legs, crossing them. Shoulders and lower back do not come off the floor.
9. The same as in the previous exercise, only perform vertical leg swings.
10. Exercise “bicycle”: lying on your back, raise your legs and bend your knees, imitate riding a bicycle forward and backward - your legs “spin” in reverse side(30 times).
11. Starting position: standing against the wall. Press your head, shoulder blades, buttocks, shins, heels against the wall, do not bend your lower back. Shoulders and hips are at the same level from a horizontal and vertical planes. Stay in this position for 1 minute, gradually, from lesson to lesson, increasing the duration. Ideally, you should finally perform this exercise without leaning on the wall.

Exercises for kyphosis in children: video

5 simple and effective back stretching exercises

The exercises are designed to develop ideal posture in schoolchildren and teenagers. The complex is simple and takes very little time - this is its advantage. Each exercise must be repeated 3 to 5 times.

1. Initial pose: sit on your knees, buttocks covering your heels, arms extended forward on the floor, back arched as much as possible. It is necessary to pull your head, neck and arms forward as much as possible, feeling the tension in the back muscles. Stay in this position for a while, swaying up and down a little, without making sudden jerks. This exercise should begin and end your exercise.

   It is advisable to begin and end the complex with such stretching.

2. Starting pose: stand on your right knee, bend your other leg, resting on your foot. The head “looks” forward, with the opposite (left) hand you need to touch the heel of your right foot, right hand at this time it reaches towards the ceiling. Then change sides.

   Stretching and balance exercises seem simple only at first glance

3. Plank exercise (for a healthy back as a preventive measure). Lean on the floor with your elbows and feet, the body is parallel to the floor, the neck and head are a continuation of the spine. Stay in this position for 10–15 seconds (as long as possible). It is very important not to arch or round your back.

   The plank exercise perfectly trains both posture and the muscles of the whole body.

4. Initial pose: standing, lean forward with your whole body, straight arms back as far as possible, lowering your shoulders and moving your shoulder blades. Stay in this position for 10 seconds.

   Tilts of the body with arms laid back are performed, bringing the shoulder blades together as much as possible

   The second version of this exercise is with arms extended forward.

   You need to not only tilt your body, but also stretch forward with your own hands

5. Initial pose: standing straight, reach with your arms towards the ceiling, grab the wrist of the other with one hand and in this position, smoothly bend and stretch, swaying slightly, in both directions alternately.

   Side bends provide stretching for the lateral muscles of the torso.

This charging takes on average 10 to 15 minutes. But you need to do it every day.

Exercises with a fitball to improve posture

With the help of exercises with a large elastic ball - a fitball, the student will strengthen the muscles of the so-called core - this is a set of muscles responsible for stabilizing the spine, pelvis and hips, and therefore for healthy posture. First you need to choose a suitable ball, according to the height of the child. This can be done as follows: in the position of sitting on the ball (feet on the floor), the angle between the student’s thigh and shin should be approximately 90 degrees, and the knees in this position should be slightly below the waist. Or another rule: children under 155 cm tall should choose a ball with a diameter of 45–55 cm; if you are 156–169 cm tall, a fitball 55 cm in diameter is suitable; for teenagers whose height exceeds 170 cm, a fitball of 65–75 cm is recommended.

1. While sitting on a fitball, alternately raise your legs, trying to stay on the ball with a straight back.

   While holding the ball with your hands, try to maintain balance.

   To complicate the task, simultaneously with the leg, you should raise the opposite arm up, stopping in this position for 5 seconds (perform 2 sets of 20 times).

   A more complicated version - not only the legs are involved, but also the arms

2. To make the exercises not only useful, but also interesting, you can additionally use small colored balls and a basket. The child lies down with his stomach on the fitball, and at the same time picks up a small ball.

   Will cause keen interest and excitement in children of any age unusual idea with colored balls that need to be thrown into a basket

   Scrolling the fitball under him with the help of his hands “walking” along the floor, he tries to throw the ball into a basket that is located at a distance.

   The basket can be placed at a short distance from the fitball

   To complicate the task, the basket can be positioned further and further from the fitball over time. Thus, the fitball ends up near the feet. Backwards you need to move in the same way, rolling the ball under your body to the starting position.

   The task becomes more difficult if the basket for colored balls is moved a little further

3. Exercise “airplane”: the child lies on top of the ball so that top part the body hung over the ground, the toes rested on the floor. While making an effort, you need to try to keep the ball under you, spreading your arms to the sides and keeping your back, neck and head in one line.

   Children will definitely like the “airplane” exercise on a fitball.

Such exercises will be greeted with enthusiasm by children of any age. They perfectly train the upper and lower muscles of the back and abdomen, forming healthy posture unnoticed by the child.

sitting behind dining table At home or at your workplace, it is useful for a child to use a fitball instead of a chair. Thus, the necessary core stabilization skill will be developed automatically.

Using fitballs instead of chairs - quietly trains posture and, at the same time, relieves the child’s spine

Exercise therapy for a flat back

A flat back is the worst type of posture in terms of shock-absorbing properties of the spine. Its anatomical curves are underdeveloped due to hereditary predisposition, weak back muscles, previous rickets, etc. Exercises for this postural defect should be done extremely smoothly, stopping a little in each position. Repeat 10 times.

Total weakness muscular system- the basis of this postural disorder

• Starting position: on your back, legs straight, arms by your sides. Slowly raise your head and upper body, hands reaching for your toes.
• Starting position: on your back, arms under your head, tear straight lower limbs from the floor, spread apart, then connect, smoothly lower.
• Exercise “diaphragmatic breathing” or belly breathing. Lying on your back, bend your knees slightly, inhale more air through your nose, inflating your stomach. Blow air smoothly in a thin stream through your mouth. The abdominal wall should “sink” as much as possible when exhaling.

  Diaphragmatic breathing provides intensive enrichment of blood with oxygen: organs of all systems begin to function at maximum efficiency

• Initial pose: lying on your back, arms by your sides, lift your pelvis off the floor and pull it up, pointing it towards the ceiling. The second option is to raise the pelvis with a straight leg (alternating lower limbs).
• Airplane exercise: lying face down, legs closed, arms spread to the sides. At the same time, smoothly raise the upper body, arms and shoulders above the floor, as well as tightly closed legs - stay in this position for 5 seconds, then smoothly return back. The neck and head extend the line of the spine.

  Exercise "airplane" - correction of the thoracic spine

• Exercise “cat”: standing on your knees, leaning on your hands, make your back an arch (your head “looks” down); bend your back as low as possible to the floor (raise your head).

  Exercise cat - has a beneficial effect on the entire spine

• Exercise “imitation breaststroke”: lying on your stomach, bend your elbows in front of you. Raising your upper body above the floor, straighten your arms - lower your head, exhale - and “draw” circles with your hands (raise your head, inhale), as when swimming breaststroke.

Such physical education helps to train the muscular corset and form the anatomical curves of the spinal column inherent in correct posture.

Possible consequences and complications

Everyone knows about the benefits of physical therapy and its significant role in correcting postural defects. However about possible consequences and complications are not something every adult thinks about, much less a child. And they are quite real if you do not follow the exercise technique, or develop complexes yourself, without the assistance of an orthopedic surgeon and physiotherapist. In this case, troubles such as:

• the occurrence of pain syndrome;
• neuralgia due to compression of the nerve root of the spine;
• muscle spasms;
• stretching of the ligamentous apparatus;
• strengthening of existing spinal instability;
• worsening the existing defect.

Exercise therapy for compression fracture The spine plays a major role in the rehabilitation of the patient. The patient spends the first 2 months after the fracture in the hospital in a supine position, where he is shown: breathing exercises and the most facilitated movements of the arms and sliding along the bed with the legs. As you recover, the orthopedic doctor gradually adds exercises, creating an individual complex for the patient. More or less full-fledged gymnastics is indicated 2–2.5 months after the injury and is carried out under the supervision of a physiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist.

To physical exercise were beneficial, the child must clearly know and follow safety rules, and also be constantly under the supervision of an instructor.

A child is considered an infant until he reaches the age of one year. This period is very important for the development of the baby’s musculoskeletal system. The stronger and stronger the muscles are, the faster and more confidently he will learn to crawl, sit, and then walk. In addition, developed back muscles will help to form a beautiful healthy posture for the child and will serve as the prevention of various diseases associated with curvature of the spine.

Properly selected exercises and massage will help to form beautiful posture in a child.

Special gymnastics and massage are used to strengthen muscles. A set of exercises is selected depending on the age of the child. Some of them can be performed at home. In addition to the benefits for muscles, joint gymnastics will bring pleasure from the time spent with the baby, and will strengthen the bond between the baby and parents, if you create the right mood.

Strengthening your back from the first days

You can put your baby on his stomach from the first days of his life. This will be the first useful exercise for developing the muscles of the back and neck. At first, the child will only be able to turn his head to the side, then he will try to keep his head in an upright position. At first a few seconds, then the time will gradually increase.

The following exercise uses the Galant reflex. Lay the baby on his side, holding him with his hand. Use the fingers of your other hand to move along the child’s spine, pressing lightly. The movement should be done not along the spinal column itself, but next to it, stepping back about one and a half centimeters, first on one side, then on the other. Reflexively, the child will try to bend his back in response to the touch. The exercise is very simple, but it develops the muscles of the spine and its flexibility well.

Exercises on a large gymnastic ball strengthen a child’s back well. Until the age of three months, only rocking movements can be performed. To do this, the baby is placed on the ball, first on his tummy, then on his back, then alternately on each side. This exercise also promotes relaxation and more efficient work intestines.

During exercises, do not forget to talk to your baby, smile at him, and hum. Then gymnastics will become even more enjoyable.

Strengthening your back from six months

Full-fledged gymnastics can be performed no earlier than the child reaches the age of six months. Before this, doctors recommend testing muscle strength and readiness for physical activity.

For the test, the child is placed on his tummy, supported by his hands at the waist, and slightly raised above the surface. If the muscles are sufficiently developed, the baby will be able to hold the swallow pose while suspended. If this does not work, then mandatory training of the back muscles is necessary. The test must be repeated regularly in order to understand whether the exercises are effective or not.

With a six-month-old baby you can perform the following set of exercises:

1. Take the child in your arms with his back to you, hold him in the pelvic area. Together with your baby, slowly bend forward and straighten. Over time, the baby will be able to support his back on his own, but in the first stages he needs insurance. Repeat three to five times.
2. For this exercise you will need a gymnastic ball. Place the child with his stomach on the ball, supporting him in the armpit area and rocking the ball back and forth. At this time, the child tries to hold the swallow pose for five seconds. Repeat five to eight times.
3. A more complicated version of the previous exercise, if the child copes well with the easier one. Everything is the same, only you need to support the baby not in the armpits, but in the hips.

Strengthening your child's back with massage

Massage movements will allow you to both prepare the back for loads before exercises to strengthen the back, and relax the child’s muscles after the complex has been completed. Three types of massage movements are used: stroking, rubbing and kneading.

The massage always begins with stroking. To do this, place the baby on his tummy and stroke the baby with your hands along the spine in the forward and reverse direction alternately. Repeat five to eight times.

Then proceed to rubbing. Use your fingertips for this. You need to rub it in a spiral. Also in the forward and reverse directions alternately. Repeat five to eight times. Change direction. Rub the baby's back not along the spine, but sideways along the ribs.

When performing a massage yourself, be sure to remember the rule that doing any manipulation directly with the spinal column is strictly not recommended! The massage should be done along the spinal column, stepping aside about one and a half centimeters.

Strengthening your back from the age of three

Gradually, along with the growth and development of the child, the load on the back muscles also increases. Therefore, you need to continue training by making the exercises more difficult. Since it is quite difficult to hold the attention of a three-year-old child, turn the task of how to strengthen your back into a game and play it together.

Before starting the actual exercises, you need to do a short dance warm-up to allow your body to prepare for the upcoming loads. This important point which will avoid the risk of injury.

The following exercises are suitable:

1. Exercise Airplane. To perform it, you need to stand straight with your feet together. Stretch your arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Rotate your torso along with your arms alternately in both directions, adding a tilt at the same time.
2. Exercise Lumberjack. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands behind your head, fingers clasped together as if you were holding an ax. Then you need to sharply remove your hands from behind your head and lower them down, as if you were chopping a large, thick tree.
3. Exercise Swallow. The most famous existing exercise for the back. At the same time, it continues to be one of the most effective for developing back muscles. To perform this exercise, you need to lie on the floor on your stomach. Legs and hips lie on the floor, arms also lie on the floor, but spread in different directions. Then gradually lift your head off the floor, and then chest, moving your shoulders back as much as possible and arching your back.

Strengthening the back through physical therapy is best done according to a program, the preparation of which is best entrusted to an experienced doctor. Then it will take into account all the necessary criteria, such as age, level of physical fitness and developmental characteristics. You also need to remember that only regular exercises will bring benefits, not occasional ones.