Prevent Neck and Back Pain while Reading the Qur’an: Tips from a Physiotherapist

Some people sit for long hours, day and night, reading the Qur’an, but they are ignorant of the appropriate healthy positions to sit comfortably and read the Qur’an without causing problems for their bodies.

Physiotherapist Azal Raed Abu Lahoum points out that many people are willing to read the Qur’an and compete to read it during the month of Ramadan, because of the great reward for the fasting person.

The reader of the Qur’an spends many hours holding the Holy Qur’an, which requires him to know the correct ways to sit and read the Qur’an in order to avoid some health problems, which are usually represented in:

• Neck and shoulder pain: Because of the pressure on the back muscle when the shoulders are bent forward or your head is directed downward.
• Back painSlouching in the seated forward presses between the shoulder blades and causes flattening of the back muscles.
• Spinal problemsPoor sitting posture causes a change in the natural curves of the spine, and leads to increased pressure in the wrong position.

Medical advice for healthy conditions

The physiotherapist stressed the need to know some of the healthy movements and postures that people should apply during their sessions to read the Qur’an, especially when they prolong the reading for a long period of time.

She explained that some simple tips help avoid many problems in the neck, spine and back, and help the fasting person to sit in comfortable positions, by:

• Using a lifter or holder for the Qur’an to help us adjust the session.
• Keeping the head and neck in an upright position while holding the Qur’an between the hands.
• Sit with a straight and moderate back while leaning on the back of the chair vertically, and resting the shoulders.
• The buttocks and hips while sitting on the chair should be even without making one side out of the chair.
• Do not sit for a long time without changing your body position, such as moving and walking every once in a while.