Back to school
Double standards mean greater suffering for children.
Little Jimmy wends his way to classes with a rucksack full of books. At school, he sits for several hours, some in front of a computer. The school furniture is probably the cheapest that some flinty bureaucrat could buy several years ago. It is unlikely to be adjustable for the child’s size. No one has told Little Jimmy how to adjust his posture to carry his rucksack properly, or to sit on a seat that is not suitable, or to work at a badly set up computer.
Some children, the fitter ones, may have naturally good posture. Many will not and this, combined with poor conditions, will cause discomfort, pain and future damage.
Carrying too heavy a pack (15% of body weight should be the maximum), or even carrying a lighter pack badly, will cause damage in the long run, as will sitting on unsuitable furniture at unsuitable desks.
Looking to the future Jimmy, after nearly 20 years of education, will step out into the cold, wide world of employment.
And, believe it or not, this will be the first time that someone will start taking an interest in the lay-out of his computer and its equipment, in providing a chair, furniture and conditions that meet legal requirements. It is a curious fact that whilst the law demands certain standards of employers, it does not require the same standards for schools. So for the time being, Little Jimmy, perhaps a bit tall for his age, will continue to curve his spine into a plastic bucket seat in front a screen at a hopeless height. What is illegal in the workplace is legal in schools.
Why should we worry?
Because no child, any more than employees, should suffer discomfort, pain or be in danger of being damaged.
Because like adults, if children suffer, they cannot perform properly – only it is their future, not the profit of the company, which loses out here.Because the longer people suffer these conditions, the greater the eventual bill for NHS, for occupational health, for efficiency in the workplace, for the economy.
What can we do?
Raise awareness. Local Education Authorities and teachers are not generally aware of the fundamental importance of understanding posture.
Talk to Little Jimmy’s school about postural training. Like manners, it should be part of life skills. Like many things, it is better received from an expert – ask the school to talk to local Chartered Physiotherapists, ask them to organise a training session, one for teachers, one for pupils. Ask them to make it fun, short and relevant.
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