College life can be a real pain in the back. For one, there are huge textbooks to tote around -- the ones that seem to weigh down a backpack as quickly as they lighten a wallet. Marathon study sessions and long hours in front of a computer monitor also can wreak havoc on a student's spine.
Third-year College student Youyoung Lee said she sometimes feels back pain after a long day of class.
"My back hurts more when I come home from classes, or late at night," she said.
One way to ward off back fatigue during the day is good posture. In an article featured on Click10.com, Dr. Robert J. Luchi of the Baylor College of Medicine wrote that "bad body alignment is the main cause of back and neck problems."
Lee admitted that she often does not practice good posture.
"I don't have good posture and I don't really try to," she said.
First-year College student Patrick Ormerod said he has noticed that his bad posture can cause back pain.
"If I don't have good posture when I sit at my desk, my back can start to hurt," he said.
A proper desk chair can promote good studying posture. Luchi's article said to prevent back stress, one should "sit in chairs with either straight backs or low back (lumbar) support."
Regular exercise is another way to combat nagging back pain. A program that strengthens key muscles, especially those important to posture, can act as preventative medicine for back pain.Fourth-year College student Marie Tedesco said she rarely experiences back pain, and that the nightly exercises she does seem to be one of the reasons she is so lucky.
"My roommate and I do sit ups and back strengthening exercises each night," she said.
Tedesco added that she's been doing these exercises for a while and has felt little or no back pain.
"My roommate doesn't have back pain either," she said.
So next time you find yourself groaning about your aching back, try practicing some Miss America-worthy posture, or head to the gym and break a sweat.Your spine will thank you.
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