The spine and your child’s movements

Proper development of the spine is key to gain balance in the vertical position (sitting or standing). The spine has to have the right stability and proper flexibility to allow counterbalance, weight-shifting and proper control of any movement. 

Your child should have the ability to move along the spine with little undulations (moving smoothly up and down). The more the spine allows this wavy behaviour, the more integrated and controlled the movements will be. 

When the spine doesn’t have these movements, then the child compensates with excessive movements on the arms and legs, or it requires a wider base to keep the balance. 

I am sharing with you the example of this boy. When first tested, the spine wasn’t showing the undulations in sitting, and then when walking, he was compensating with a wider base (the legs were more spread) and he was increasing the tone of his left arm to assist his balance.

His mother worked on his fascia at home with the techniques she learned during their CoreFlow Program, after 8 months we assessed again and he had improved the ability to undulate through the spine. With this, then he could walk more forward (better line of progression) with a closer base and with less compensations on his left arm. 

These improvements are the result of a strategy that understands the body from the biotensegrity point of view and the role of fascia in movement and postural control.

To start doing fascia therapy with your child, learn the first exercise to improve torso control here.

WeFlow´s tip for you!

Adding sponges on your child’s seat will invite small movements through the spine.