CAPTION: Chiropractor Vanessa Harrington with a school patient demonstrating good posture.
KINDERGARTEN students at Port Macquarie Adventist School have taken part in a groundbreaking health program designed to improve the posture and spinal health of school children across the state.
The event, now in its second year, involved children, teachers and local chiropractors undertaking the Straighten Up Australia kindergarten spinal health program by performing a series of exercises simultaneously across NSW and South Australia on Tuesday.
Local chiropractors David Harris and Patrick McGann visited Port Macquarie Adventist School and said the exercises were based on an international program that was developed in conjunction with chiropractors, researchers, fitness experts and officials from the World Health Organisation.
“The SUA exercises take about three minutes to complete and are highly effective at improving posture, stabilising core muscle groups, preventing spinal problems and enhancing overall health,” Dr Harris said.
“The program teaches kids that exercise can be lots of fun, and encourages them to adopt healthy habits into their everyday routine.”
Chiropractors’ Association of Australia NSW president Joseph Ierano said it was important to teach children about postures, health and well-being at a young age.
“Kids are now more sedentary than ever before with more time spent watching TV, using laptops, iPads and game consoles, which can be detrimental for their health and postural development in the long term,” he said.
“The program is really beneficial in introducing kids to movement, exercise and a healthy posture at an early age, in a fun and safe environment.”
Dr Ierano said studies conducted overseas indicated that 90 per cent of people who adopted the exercises as part of their daily routine reported a postural improvement.
About 80 per cent reported they had better core stability after practicing the activities for several weeks.
“It is hoped that kindergartens all over NSW will encourage children to take a few minutes every day to improve their posture, just as children learn to do for dental health,” Dr Ierano said.
