Movement Deficiency Syndrome in Children

Movement Deficiency Syndrome

Did you know there is something like  “Movement Deficiency Syndrome”? It is a very serious condition and leads to all sorts of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and other chronic diseases.

Too many of us do not realise that movement is essential for our body’s. Physical activity ensures that we express the right genes and keep our bodies functioning optimally.  Ever heard the expression: “if you don’t use it, you lose it”?

This is especially true for children.

4 children running
Fornham Chiropractic Clinic, Active Children

Screen Time

Encouraging children to be active can be a challenge, as there are so many distractions for them these days.

Do you realise that children aged between 8 and 10 spend about 6 hours a day in front of a screen using entertainment media? And that nearly 4 of these hours are spent watching television?

As adults, we think of exercise in terms of going to the gym, running, lifting weights or swimming for example, but for children, exercise is about playing and being physically active as much as possible.

 

 

Our Top Tips

As chiropractors, the health and happiness of children is very important to us and we wanted to share with you our top tips for getting your kids more active;

  1. Ensure children have at least 1 hours of physical activity a day
  2. Limit children’s total screen time to no more than 2 hours a day
  3. Remove TV sets from children’s bedroom
  4. Explore new and fun activities like your local Junior Park Run – they are fun, free & friendly (and only 2km)
  5. Find something fun to do regularly e.g. join a tennis, athletics or gymnastics club, or dance to their favourite song.
  6. Walk, cycle or scoot as much as possible
  7. Play with your child. As parent’s, we are very busy, but taking the time to stop and play will have huge health benefits for both of you
  8. Boost your child’s energy levels by providing healthy and nutritious meals & snacks
  9. Rest. Children and teenagers need at least 10-12 hours sleep every day, poor sleep can lead to a range of mental, emotional and physical problems.

For more tips and advice on keeping your children fit and healthy, speak to one of our chiropractors.