Does your child seem to be clumsy or uncoordinated compared to other children the same age? Does he or she trip or bump into things? Does there seem to be a lack of attention to physical barriers? Are you worried about safety? Are they frustrated with their skills?

     These signs could indicate that your child needs some help negotiating his/her environment. This can come from having an less stable posture, unbalanced automatic muscle use (spontaneously over using certain muscles and under using others) and poor ability to quickly react. Some children who don't feel physically secure/stable may overuse their visual system for stability, becoming more focal, making visual scanning abilities difficult.

     A common passive posture is to stand with knees in hyperextension, a protruding belly and an arched back. In this position, muscles work less to hold the skeleton up and ligaments are relied upon for support. Over time, this pattern of standing and moving becomes automatic, and the underused muscles start to get weak while the overused muscles (low back) start to take over. The supporting ligaments may get too stretched out (and ligaments don't contract back!)

     Specially designed exercises using specific positions and breathing can help strengthning the lower and side abdominals, and reposition that strong breathing muscle, the diaphragm while letting the back muscles do less work. The result is an improved posture, with more automatically active abdominals, a less active lower back and improved muscle balance. With a more secure central anchor, coordinated movements happen with muscles and eyes can be freed to scan the environment to prevent tipping and bumping into things. 

     This little girl is using position to shorten and activate her abdominals while lengthening her low back muscles to reverse her typical posture. She is blowing through the reistance of a straw to move "puff balls" to score a goal between her feet. Full exhalation is a super way to engage the important abdominals on the side of the core. A DIFFERENT and fun way to strengthen and bring awareness to posture! If you have questions about the way your child moves or stands, please feel free to  "Contact Me" , or  "Ask the Expert".  Thank you.