Students find study a pain in the neck

Press, 4 November 1986, Page 7

Students find study a pain in the neck

Studying for exams can be a real pain in the neck ... as a Christchurch osteopath has found. The number of students attending the osteopathic clinic of Mr Chris Rowse has increased dramatically in recent weeks. The main complaint was neck and shoulder pain caused by intensive studying, said Mr Rowse. He recommends a few simple activities to alleviate those problems. They are: sensible posture while studying; tipping books upwards so that the neck is at a

better angle; standing to do stretch exercises with deep breathing by an open window when tiredness or stiffness is noticed; and doing frequent shoulder exercises (half-hourly) such as shrugging four times while deep breathing, placing hands on shoulders and rotating arms in a big circle five times each way. Mr Rowse recommends that baths or showers be ended with a cold splash, particularly on the shoulders to stimulate blood supply to the muscles.