Posture
Children’s Posture: What’s Really Going On?
Children’s posture has become one of the most significant developmental issues of our time. Every day in practice we see growing bodies under pressures that simply didn’t exist a generation ago—screens, sedentary lifestyles, disrupted sleep, processed foods, stress, and increasing academic demands. Many parents assume posture is just about “standing up straight,” but the reality is far deeper, more neurological and more foundational than most people realise.
While preparing a new Masterclass on children’s posture—what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what we as chiropractors can do—I came across a study that stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me that not all postural challenges come from modern technology; some originate much earlier, during the very first stages of life.
Premature Verticalisation: A Hidden Developmental Disruptor
The study, titled
“The Assessment of Postural–Motor, Coordination, and Reflex Functions in Children and Adolescents with a History of Premature Verticalization and Ontogeny Disorders in Their First Year of Life” (Maciak, Koszela, Beniuk & Woldańska-Okońska, 2024),
examined children and adolescents who were placed upright before their bodies were ready—through devices such as walkers, jumpers, sit-up seats and other “convenience equipment.” These children were compared with peers who developed naturally at their own pace.
The findings were sobering.
Children with a history of early upright positioning showed:
poorer postural-motor control
weaker coordination
persistence of primitive reflexes
and higher rates of attentional and behavioural difficulties, including ADHD-type features
For chiropractors and other movement-based practitioners, the proposed mechanism is unsurprising. When babies skip or shortcut core developmental movements—tummy-time pushing, rolling, weight-shifting, cross-crawling, creeping, pulling to stand—they miss out on the neurological stimulation that builds:
vestibular maturity
proprioceptive accuracy
neuromuscular control
reflex integration
early cortical organisation
When a device holds a baby upright before their body has earned that position, they lose the opportunity to develop the strength, stability and neural patterns required for optimal function.
A Clinically Familiar Story—Now Backed by Research
Reading this research brought me back to my early years, listening to the legendary paediatric chiropractor Dr Neil Davies declare—passionately—that all walkers, jumpers and similar upright devices should be burned immediately. At the time, it sounded dramatic… but decades later, research is confirming what experienced clinicians have observed all along:
When you skip developmental steps, the nervous system pays the price.
The Good News: These Patterns Can Be Rebuilt
One of the most encouraging messages from the authors is that these developmental gaps are not fixed. With the right approach—targeted movement, reflex integration, sensory-motor play and chiropractic care—children and even adolescents can revisit and reinforce the developmental stages they missed. This aligns completely with what we see in practice: neuroplasticity remains available far longer than once believed.
Why Parent Education Matters More Than Ever
Today’s parents are doing their absolute best. They are surrounded by apps, online groups, developmental checklists and social pressure to help their children “progress.” Add sleep deprivation and the desire to keep babies happy and contained, and it’s easy to see why walkers, Bumbo seats, and swing devices are used extensively.
But convenience does not always align with neurological development.
As chiropractors, we are uniquely placed to offer a different message:
trust the process
honour the developmental sequence
keep babies on the floor
let movement unfold at their natural pace
This isn’t about perfection; it’s about giving children the developmental foundations they deserve.
Moving Forward Together
My hope is that this emerging research continues to empower practitioners and parents alike. By understanding what’s really going on with children’s posture—and the early life experiences that shape it—we can help raise a generation of stronger, more coordinated, more resilient children.
Here’s to continuing the work, supporting our families, and elevating chiropractic care for children through knowledge, collaboration and care.
Warmly,
Dorte