Wiesbaden, Germany  - Rocking a chair back and forth is good for a child's body and mental capacity, according to a study conducted in Germany.

The study found that the rocking motion can reduce pressure on the backbone that can have a negative impact on body posture, breathing and organ function.

The study also found that rocking a chair can also improve a child's concentration and attention span.

The study was conducted by Germany's Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft fuer Haltungs und Bewegungsfoerderung (BAG), an association that promotes physical activity in children, in cooperation with the "Kid Check" project at the University of Saarland.

School children from the eighth grade took part in the study which examined changes in blood circulation using thermo graphic imaging.

One test group sat on modern school chairs with seats that could move in three directions. Another group sat on conventional, immobile seats. Thermal imaging indicated that upper body temperatures fell noticeably in the group that sat on conventional chairs while it rose in the group on mobile seating.

The researchers interpreted the increase in skin temperature as an indication of blood circulation or more specifically, the movement of muscles below the skin.

The typical immobile sitting position resulted in forward tilting upper body posture and shoulders which led to shallower breathing and deficient blood circulation. That in turn led to reduced concentration. More mobile seating resulted in the opposite, according to the BAG. (dpa)