Study posture

[number]

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My back and butt hurt and my legs get stiff after an hour or so of studying. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do about it?

Sometimes I study in bed, but I cannot really manage a heavy book without a desk.

 

[Perrotfish]

Legs up on table, whole calf resting flat on the table, book against my knees (or laptop on lap). Every once in a while mix it up by studying standing up, or sitting normally.

Obviously this is a strategy that only works if you state out a private study room. Bad manners in public.

 

[Concordia]

I've never had whole back problems like you, but my upper back completely cramps up every so often. My advice is to take a study break and hit the gym. Gets your blood flowing, and maybe you can do some core strengthening exercises.

 

[Bushido416]

I have two major positions.....1 sitting in my recliner laptop in my lap taking notes on lectures I'm reading instead of attending. 2. I lay in my floor because my recliner gets warm and makes me want to sleep...a good hard uncomfortable floor won't hurt you and it may keep you awake and let you stretch. My auxillary study "action poses" usually consist of some form of leaning back in a chair with my feet up or sitting normally feet splayed out in front of me sitting in a crappy chair. but normally i'm doing one or two

 

[themudphud]

If you are lying on your stomach when studying on your bed, try putting a pillow or two under your stomach. That helps to keep my lower back from cramping up. If you are sitting at a desk, try lowering your chair so you can keep a good posture.
It never hurts to hit the gym.

 

[dnslay]

I have a wire and rubber portable book stand. Makes reading a lot easier when the book is open to my face instead of leaning over it!

 

[Tensyle]

i try to stretch my neck every hour. After every 2 hours, I get up, walk around, stretch more, get a drink of water, and resume. The neck pains are the worst!!!

 

[stooges287]

My back and butt hurt and my legs get stiff after an hour or so of studying. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do about it?

Sometimes I study in bed, but I cannot really manage a heavy book without a desk.

Clearly medicine is an athletic endeavor

 

[themudphud]

True that--I get more sore from studying than working out...

 

[koolio]

just another tip is 2 chew gum when u study. i saw it on dr.phil he said something about some sort of rythmn and it actually helps!!

 

[Jolie South]

My advice is to take a study break and hit the gym. Gets your blood flowing, and maybe you can do some core strengthening exercises.

Ditto. I like to sit and study while maintaing crappy posture. Most people swear off working out before tests because of time constraints, but I like it. After running or lifting weights, I sleep better and my back and shoulders don't hurt as much.

Usually, my back pain is in the upper shoulder region from hunching over, so if I don't want to do a full work out, I'll do a set of push ups. It helps.

 

[stooges287]

Ditto. I like to sit and study while maintaing crappy posture. Most people swear off working out before tests because of time constraints, but I like it. After running or lifting weights, I sleep better and my back and shoulders don't hurt as much.

Usually, my back pain is in the upper shoulder region from hunching over, so if I don't want to do a full work out, I'll do a set of push ups. It helps.

Yeah, working out helps to maintain your energy for more studying too At least thats the reason I use to motivate myself to work out

 

[confuse]

I have a crappy chair but no money to buy a good one so I often get back pain when sitting too long in one position. I have to switch position every 2 hrs or so. I rotate around 4 main study positions.
1. sitting on chair/table
2. recliner with laptop in my lab
3. walking around in circle with notes in hand
4. lying in bed with notes in hand and/or laptop on chest

 

[SpookyDoc]

4. lying in bed with notes in hand and/or laptop on chest

Do you type with your teeth? I'm trying to imagine how this would be comfortable...

 

[braluk]

It's definitely worth the investment for a really comfortable chair. I spent at least 250 dollars on mine and I can now sit in my chair and study for a solid 8 hours without having to get up. Make sure you get extended-sitting chairs (I got mine at Office Max).

 

[montessori2md]

This is serious : ) I've been in PT, and I swear it's had the side effect of helping me figure out how to study w/o pain.

1) Take breaks -I was told every 15 min, but honestly, that's hard to do, I try to stretch every 30min.
2) Work out those upper back muscles. Do push ups (or wall push-ups, if you're somewhere where touching the floor would be either gross or awkward) -make your scapulae get close together. Make sure you're incorporating those muscles in your workout routine.
3) Work at a whiteboard if writing, or take over a video projector if using a computer -at home our tv is a computer, so I can do class stuff on a big tv screen standing up, but at school, just hunt for an empty classroom to take over.
4) prop your book or laptop w/ a pillow so you're not scrunching forward to look at it.

FYI, the elementary kids in my neighborhood have those new smartboards in their classrooms and their teachers let them use them. I'm jealous. Freakin' public school 3rd graders have cooler stuff than me.