Health preservation and creation of favorable environment for the students’ growth and development are among the most important directions of the state policy of the Russian Federation [1].

Today, when speaking about the students’ health status, a trend towards the decrease in morbidity can be noted that is reported by both Russian and foreign researchers [2, 3].

The learning period is characterized by the prolonged exposure to a combination of environmental factors. Educational process becomes more and more difficult every year, digital educational devices are widely used, and the amount of academic material to be learned is increased [4–6].

These circumstances, along with other factors of educational environment, lifestyle and the features of the diet, can significantly affect the students’ health formation [7–9].

The daily routine of adolescents (high school seniors and college students) cannot be called rationally organized due to insufficient or no physical activity, insufficient night sleep and day rest, irregular and unbalanced diet, and prolonged stay in the conditions of digital environment [10–12].

The above deficiencies, in turn, can be predisposing risk factors for occurrence and development of the disorders resulting from non-compliance with the hygienic recommendations on the rational daily routine organization, such as the musculoskeletal system functional impairment and chronic disorders, diseases of the eye and adnexa [13–16].

The study was aimed to substantiate the hygienic education programs in terms of compliance with the hygienic recommendations on prevention of the diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the eye and adnexa by analysis of scientific papers. The review of the scientific papers focused on the impact of factors of educational environment and daily routine components on the students’ health status that were published in 2011–2023 in the E-Library, PubMed, Web of Science databases was performed.

Studying in general schools (secondary comprehensive schools, gymnasiums, lyceums) and secondary professional and higher educational institutions is characterized by the prolonged exposure to a combination of factors that can be roughly divided into educational and after-school risk factors. The former include the increase in educational load along with irrational organization of educational process, inadequate knowledge about healthy lifestyle formation and students’ health preservation among teachers and lecturers, lack of communication between educational and medical institutions. It should be noted that the school, college and higher education often fails to consider individual characteristics of certain student’s health status [17–20].

The researchers, both Russian and foreign, point out that among numerous after-school risk factors the most common are irrational organization of the daily routine components, such as physical activity, work-rest regime, night sleep, prolonged and often uncontrolled stay in digital environment, non-compliance with the basic principles of rational nutrition, stress resulting from the educational process intensification, and the fact that there are assessments in schools and the test/exam periods in the secondary professional and higher educational institutions [21–24].

Irrational daily routine organization, specifics and amount of educational materials that has to be learned by students within tight deadlines increase the risk of anxiety disorders and depression, functional impairment, disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the eye and adnexa [25–27].

The prolonged use of various electronic gadgets by schoolchildren and students both when preparing for lessons and training sessions and in their spare time results in postural distortion due to incorrect working posture. Poor working posture when reading or writing for a long time can lead to the lower back pain, paravertebral muscle fatigue, changes in biomechanics and impaired function of the spine [28, 29].

A significant increase in the “on-screen” time spent when doing homework using gadgets or playing games on computer or tablet, communicating in various messengers installed on the smartphones in leisure time results in the significant decrease in physical activity and night sleep duration, as well as in virtual exclusion of napping from the daily routine on weekends. The prolonged stay in digital environment disrupts optimal sleep pattern, multiplies the risk of sleep disorders and adversely affects the function of the visual analyzer and the musculoligamentary system [30–32].

Functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system, such as poor posture, arch disorders, flat foot, occupy one of the leading places in the morbidity structure of students [33]. Poor posture, the progression of which can result in scoliosis, can have a significant effect on the development of the respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, and endocrine system disorders [34]. Flat foot is one of the factors limiting physical education, it leads to earlier tiredness and fatigue [35].

Low levels of motor activity, wearing shoes that are non-compliant with the hygienic recommendations and educational supplies, the weight of which significantly exceeds the levels recommended by sanitary rules are among the causes of the increased incidence of foot deformities among high school seniors and students [36, 37].

Physical education classes conducted in educational institutions with no physical activity during extracurricular time fail to sufficiently fill the natural need for movement required for students of various age groups. At the same time the share of physical training and game sports in the time budget of the daily routine decreases considerably. The reasons for changes in the daily routine are often subjective. The today’s students do not think that motor component is essential for the development of adherence to healthy lifestyle. In some students, both schoolchildren and undergraduates, understanding of healthy lifestyle is limited to abandoning conventional harmful habits, such as smoking and consuming various alcoholic beverages. Considering the fact that high school seniors and the youth attending colleges and higher educational institutions shape their daily routine and the duration of certain daily routine components on their own, in some cases physical activity is almost completely replaced by the prolonged stay in digital environment [38, 39].

Certain studies confirm the adverse effects of electronic gadgets on vision in schoolchildren and students. The prolonged use of electronic devices during the day results in the reduced duration of other daily routine components, such as sleep, physical activity, meals. Working in the digital space is not limited by the time spent in educational institutions and goes on at home [40, 41].

It has been found that students spending more than 4 h on their electronic gadgets when doing homework and in their leisure time more often complain of headache and the decrease in visual acuity throughout the year [42].

The findings of the study involving 2,238 schoolchildren aged 12–15 confirmed the high risk of myopia in students due to using computer for 4–6 h or more per week compared to students working on their computers for less than 4 h [43].

The subjective sensations experienced by users of various electronic gadgets, among which the most common are eyestrain and fatigue, eyes red and burning, are referred to as “computer vision syndrome” in the today’s scientific literature. The researchers use the word “computer” to mean not only personal computer, but also other devices for information and communication technology with similar technical characteristics. An image displayed on the screen (for example, of smartphone or tablet), is a small, intensely bright raster image. Excess light can result in the glare that impedes perception of information. Working on computer involves the user’s continuous engagement with the monitor and keybord through constant change in the visual perception focus moving from one component to another, thereby leading to the eye muscle fatigue. Smartphone and tablet are gadgets designed for working in the near-field; these can become significant risk factors of myopia in case of prolonged use [44, 45].

Among benefits of the currently used gadgets, students also note usability in any place and at any time of the day regardless of the availability of organized workplace at home. At the same time, weakness of the erector and extensor muscles of the spine resulting from poor posture when reading of writing contributes to eyestrain and accommodative spasm that lead to myopia [46].

The review demonstrates a significant impact of today’s environmental and lifestyle factors on students regardless of the schooling level. The intense prolonged use of various electronic gadgets during training in educational institutions, at home and in leisure time is a significant risk factor of functional impairment and chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the eye and adnexa. The prolonged stay in digital environment results in significant reduction of time spent outdoors, physical activity and exertion, as well as in changes of the students’ diet. All the above can be prevented by means of hygienic training and shaping adherence to healthy lifestyle [47–50].

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to develop programs for hygienic training of schoolchildren, students of colleges and higher educational institutions in terms of developing the knowledge and skills related to compliance with the hygienic recommendations on prevention of disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the eye and adnexa to prevent the effects of risk factors. Participation of teachers, lecturers and the students’parents in preventive activities is appropriate.