Spine protection in the school desk

Illustration of a child at a school desk; correct posture is important in childhood too

Every September, thousands of children begin their school years. The many new experiences bring huge changes to the little ones' lives and represent a significant strain for them in many ways, including on their spines.

The reason is that while a preschool child's main activity is play, after a lot of physical activity, at school they have to sit through 5-6 lessons a day, and the sitting itself is no longer on the carpet, the playground train, or their small chair alternately, but at the school desk, which is less varied and not necessarily the right size.

Among 7-year-olds, there can be height differences of up to 20cm, to which school furniture typically does not adapt. So some children can rest their feet on the floor, while others have to dangle their legs all day. The design of the backrest similarly cannot be optimal for everyone.


Parents can try to make both the school and home sitting positions more ideal. We have already written about correct sitting in previous articles, but we would like to highlight the most important points again:

  • The child's soles should reach the floor, providing support. A simple solution can be placing a step stool, possibly already set aside, under their feet.
  • The use of a wedge cushion is recommended for children both at home and at school, as it can reduce the chance of developing a slouched posture.


As parents, we cannot eliminate the many hours of sitting, but we can strive to create a healthier sitting posture.