Specialists say the figures have risen sharply since the 1980s, when only a small fraction of young people were affected.
Today, many children spend six hours a day in front of screens, and about 15 percent use electronic devices for more than 10 hours daily, state news agency PAP reported.
Health professionals say that while the risks are well documented, many families do not connect poor posture with health complaints, and they often respond with painkillers or by limiting physical activity instead of addressing the underlying habits.
Doctors warn that sitting hunched over a computer or phone does more than harm the spine.
Poor posture can contribute to headaches, sleep problems, joint pain, and even jaw misalignment.
“Prolonged forward head posture in childhood affects the development of the skull, the bite, and even the way we swallow,” said physiotherapist Marcin Guzek, founder of the rehabilitation clinic RehaDent.
He added that the head accounts for a significant percentage of body weight in children, making them particularly vulnerable.
The most common problems include scoliosis, or sideways curvature of the spine, flat feet, and knock knees.
'Text neck'
Experts have also seen an increase in “text neck,” a painful condition in the cervical spine caused by constant downward tilting of the head while looking at a phone.
In some cases, chronic poor posture has been linked to digestive troubles, cardiovascular strain and mood disorders.
Researchers in the United States have pointed to other, less obvious consequences.
Meghan Markowski, a physiotherapist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, said slouching can increase abdominal pressure, which may cause urinary incontinence during laughing or coughing.
It can also lead to constipation when sitting in a hunched position on the toilet, and it may trigger acid reflux after meals.
Specialists stress that treating posture problems takes patience and persistence.
Guzek recalled a teenage patient who, like his father before him, suffered from chronic headaches. When medical tests ruled out other causes, correcting his posture proved to be the solution.
"Physiotherapy is not instant," Guzek said. “It often takes months of regular effort and lifestyle changes. Without the involvement of parents, it is difficult to achieve lasting results."
The Civil Affairs Institute, a Polish nongovernmental organization, warned this summer that smartphones can be as addictive as alcohol, cigarettes or cocaine, especially for children.
“Every day without a smartphone is a good day,” the NGO said. "Our recommendation is clear: no smartphones until a child is 13 or 14. The longer you can postpone it, the better for your child.”
A 2023 study published in PNAS Nexus, a peer-reviewed journal, found that attention span, mood and mental health improve noticeably within two weeks of disconnecting from mobile devices.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP