My Body Is Being Battered and Broken by an Unlikely Tormentor: Books.
Slate • • general
Key Points:
- The author reflects on the common struggle of maintaining comfortable reading positions, despite a long-standing desire to read more books each year.
- Many readers experience physical discomfort while reading, often cycling through various awkward postures to find relief, highlighting a widespread ergonomic challenge.
- Physical therapist Ryan Steiner explains that reading forces the body into unnatural positions, activating mechanoreceptors that prompt discomfort and the need to change posture frequently.
- Technological solutions like bookstands and modular mounts for e-readers offer hands-free reading options that reduce physical strain, though some readers still prefer the traditional tactile experience of physical books.
- Despite the discomfort, the author and others find value in the ritual and imaginative escape of reading, suggesting that the physical pain is a
