Students with back pain

Are you a student? Whether you’re studying at school, uni, part-time or doing home-study, this blog is for you! Looking at research, we know that back pain in students is higher than desired, so read on to find out what you can do to take care of your back while studying in 2020.

Did you know that poor back health can lead to headaches, pain and fogginess? Back pain can even lead to poor mental health as well! Getting a distinction in your studies will be much harder if you can’t focus properly, both in class and out!

Good news = You’re not alone

A 2018 study by Cureus suggests that prevalence of lower back pain in students is high. Other symptoms reported include:

• bad posture

• fatigue and poor concentration

• headaches

• vision changes (including aching behind the eyes)

• neck pain; and

• most significantly, STRESS!

What you can do We know that stress is a real contributor to adaptive posture, subsequent pain, tightness and poor concentration, so minimising stress is one of the best things we can do to prevent pain. A 2018 study from the Annals of Behavioral Medicine suggests that those who predict their stress can better prepare for it and therefore minimise its effects. Planning is a great tool to achieve this.

However, if your plans go out the window and you find yourself binging that new Netflix show, you still have time to manage your stress. Recognise what needs to be done and plan a way to achieve it. Set yourself timeframes for achieving tasks and attempt to limit distractions by studying in quiet parts of the library or home.

This is where another coping mechanism comes in. Regular breaks and meditation! You may think you don’t have time for meditation, but meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and slowing your thoughts for five minutes while you wait for the bus.

Stretching is another important coping mechanism. When you start to feel tightness due to static posture (staying in one posture behind your screen for hours at a time), stretching your neck, arms and back is great. Try these simple exercises: shoulder shrugs, neck rotations, neck side stretches, shoulder blade squeezes and mid back stretches.

Exercise may seem like a timewaster when you’re stressed, but going for a walk around the campus, or checking out the Uni gym can be great ways to relieve stress from both the mind and body.

If your pain is persistent or affecting your study or sleep schedule, it may be time to visit a chiropractor. Chiropractic care helps to relieve this pain without the use of pain medications. Chiropractors treat patients of all ages and it’s never too early or too late to seek treatment. Often, the key to relief is one call away! If you have any questions, or you would like to know more call us today on 0740 911 337.

References

Inform for Life. (2005). Neck and Upper Body Stretches [Printed Material]. www.informforlife.com

Jacob J Keech, Martin S Hagger, Frances V O’Callaghan, Kyra Hamilton, The Influence of University Students’ Stress Mindsets on Health and Performance Outcomes, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Volume 52, Issue 12, December 2018, Pages 1046–1059, https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kay008

Paranjape, S. Ingole, V. (2018, July). Prevalence of Back Pain in Secondary School Students in an Urban Population: Cross-sectional Study. Cureus. 2018 Jul; 10(7): e2983. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2983