Text neck: What your phone is doing to your spine
Stress on the back of the neck can lead to degenerative disk disease which can be irreversible
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-06-14 23:32 GMT
You see it everywhere… people walking on the streets with their heads bent over their phones, sitting slumped on the train, in the restaurant, at their jobs. They’re texting, reading emails and articles and typing on their smartphones. But with heads flexed, shoulders rounded and backs hunched for long periods of time, their necks take a toll.
“Text neck is a condition gaining popularity as more people are spending hours each day looking down at their phone or other devices,” says Kenneth K. Hansraj, M.D., a spinal and orthopaedic surgeon and author of Keys to an Amazing Life: Secrets of the Cervical Spine.
Irreversible risks
Worse, constant stress on the back of the neck can lead to degenerative disk disease which can be irreversible. Plus, bone spurs can grow and people can get pinched nerves or herniated disks which cause intense pain. And if neck pain isn’t bad enough, those who spend a lot of time looking down at their devices can also develop wrinkles near the neck and chin, a condition previously referred to as “Blackberry neck”.
Tough on your spine
Recent studies show people spend between one hour and two-and-a-half hours each day glued to their mobile devices, reports mnn.com. That’s a lot of time looking down, causing strain in the neck, which can lead to the potential loss of the spine’s natural curves.
“An adult head weighs 10-12 pounds and frequently looking down at an electronic device adds pressure and weight on your neck and spine and can lead to irreversible injury,” says Hansraj. People are not designed to stay in that position for extended periods of time.
Preventing ‘text neck’
Prevention is the best medicine. To avoid these posture issues, focus on holding cellphones, tablets and e-readers in level with your eyes. This prevents the head from drifting forward, explains Eric Saxton, a chiropractor at Saxton Chiropractic and Rehab, PLLC, in Sterling, Virginia.
“Secondly, sit up straight. Sitting up straight automatically pulls your shoulders back in their proper position and aligns your head directly over your shoulders,” says Saxton.
Hansraj believes that by making changes to your posture and how you view your devices, you can avoid potential long-term damage. Avoid spending hours each day hunched over and looking down at your lap.
(www.mnn.com)