Good posture, also known as neutral posture, is critical for your overall health and well-being. Many people do not take posture seriously and they end up facing the consequences. As a student, we spend a lot of time sedentary. This can include a variety of activities such as time spent in classrooms, doing homework, studying or working from computers. It is important that we are aware of the negative effects that can come from poor postural habits.
Some effects of poor posture include:
Tension/pain in the neck, back, and shoulders
Stress and strain on the spine
Musculoskeletal disorders
Muscular imbalances
Spinal curvatures
Headaches/Migraines
Difficulty sleeping
Decreased lung function
The increased use of computers allows for an increased risk for students to develop upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (Jacobs et al., 2011).
Back pain is possibly the most common complaint due to poor posture, but all of the effects listed above will negatively affect your health in both the short-term and long-term. It has been found that poor posture in students will likely lead to health complications in the work place later on in life (Jacobs et al., 2011). You can find ways to help fix postural deviations under the "Remedy & Care" section of this website.
"To promote the health of this next generation of employees, universities need to be aware of how students may be at risk for developing computer-related musculoskeletal injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain or low back injuries since they spend much of their day in static sitting positions, either in classes or while working on their notebook computers" (Jacobs et al., 2011, p. 207).
For more information, visit the National Spine Health Foundation website.