TV Can Cause a Host of Body Concerns
The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has taken a good look at children watching TV. It probably will come as no surprise to learn that the researchers were not very pleased with what they saw.
The concern for the viewing habits of children stems from multiple reasons. It has to do with the amount of time children spend in front of a TV or computer monitor. It holds additional interest of note when looking at the body positions of children viewers. It compounds in importance when noting bone development and muscle strength during childhood and how activities pursued during these formative years may carry major implications for adult years.
The number of hours children spend in front of a TV or computer monitor may come as a complete surprise to some as reported in the Daily Record of Glasgow, Scotland. A survey of 200 secondary school children found that girls spent an average of 21 hours per week in front of the tube. Boys nearly doubled this with an average of 41 hours per week for TV and video game viewing.
The research went on to note that children who watch TV for large amounts of time are more likely to suffer spinal problems and pain. Much of this has to do with body positions assumed while watching the TV. Over one-quarter of the children were observed lying down with their heads up, thus placing extra tension on the neck and upper back areas.
All of this time spent in a non-active posture does not permit the spine to strengthen during the years of development which continue to around the age of 18. “The major factors in children’s back problems are a more sedentary way of life and lack of exercise,” said Dr. Chris Turner, a West London Chiropractor. “This means their muscles do not work very well and leads to strains when they are used, especially for lifting relatively heavy weights, including school bags.”
While pain and discomfort may result for some children, not all of them will have this experience when it comes to the spine. This would make it a very good parental practice to bring a child in for a spinal examination. The reason for this would be that undetected spinal problems in children may be the cause of serious spinal degeneration in later adult life. It is not uncommon for Chiropractors who examine x-rays of an adult spine to detect degenerative conditions which had their beginnings in childhood.
Along with this healthy advice, children should be encouraged to get up and move about frequently when watching TV or sitting behind the computer. This should be done every 40 minutes or so, according to the BCA. This duo of TV and Computer is certainly not the only source of potential childhood structural problems, but it certainly would be an excellent area for a parent to pursue in helping to guarantee their child’s healthy future.