How to Read a Book With Good Posture

Even an avid reader can occasionally feel pain and discomfort in his or her upper body after only minutes of reading. Improper posture causes the problem. Hunching over and overextending the back causes strain on the muscles through unnatural body positioning and forces certain muscle groups to carry more weight that usual. Fortunately, you don't have to read your school books or laptops in discomfort. On the contrary, minor changes to your body positioning and a few reading tools greatly improve posture and reading comfort.

Things You'll Need

• Foot rest
• Book stand
• Chair padding

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Instructions

• 1

  Lean back against the back of the chair. The back provides the support necessary to keep strain off the neck, back and shoulders. Never hunch over to read. If leaning back is uncomfortable, sit at the edge of the chair. This positioning reduces the likelihood of hunching.

• 2

  Keep your thighs parallel to the floor. To do this, either adjust the height of your chair, if possible, or use a foot rest to bring your legs up.

• 3

  Place your book on a book stand so it does not rest flat on the desk. A flat book forces you to hunch over. A book stand lifts the book up and points the text toward you. Similarly, when reading on a laptop, adjust the screen so the text points directly at you when your back is fully against the back of the chair.

• 4

  Use a pad on the chair to reduce the amount of pressure placed on your lower back. Reduced pressure helps eliminate discomfort and thereby reduces the amount of repositioning required while reading. In short, padding helps keep your posture in line.

• 5

  Take breaks when you feel stiff or tired. Stiffness and physical fatigue can slowly eat away at your good posture until your hunched over your book as usual. A few breaks keep your body fresh and rejuvenate muscles.