We live in an era of mobile technology. Everywhere you look, someone is peering into the small screen of a cell phone. So, Doctors Health Press was waiting for what seemed obvious: is this constant posture hurting our neck muscles? Orthopedic experts say, yes.
If you have a smartphone and like following texts and social media updates, then it would be wise to consider your neck. Anyone who habitually does this with their head tilted forward (and this is no exclusive group), should think about their neck. Some quick health advice: don’t fall into a pattern of doing an activity that may pave the way to long-lasting neck pain.
The phrase “text neck” has now emerged because of people spending so much time hunched over their smartphones. This gimmicky-sounding phrase refers to postural pain brought on by poor posture. Most of the time, these people can move about, free of pain, with symptoms only experienced when a certain bad posture is kept for too long. The pain can occur in any position, lying down, sitting or standing.
Text neck relates to overusing specific muscles in the neck, shoulders and even head, putting the spine in a strained position as you peer downward at the screen. This is not only the age of cell phones, but tablets, e-book readers and laptops as well. It is fair to say that our necks are prone to far more damaging postures than ever before.
Orthopedic experts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln had a few tips for avoiding text neck or helping relieve it:
• Find a way to hold the device at a natural eye level where you don’t have to strain (maybe look at yourself in the mirror to practice this).
• Always take breaks whenever you are in front of a computer or device. Alter your position. Don’t sit or stand too long in an abnormal position.
• Exercise regularly, as strong back and neck muscles will help withstand abnormal stresses and reduce musculoskeletal issues.
RECOMMENDED: A special type of yoga for neck pain.
If you suffer neck pain, you can go get some ergonomic advice, try Pilates, do strength and flexibility exercises, try electrotherapy, give acupuncture a shot, and always get some soft tissue massage.
Sources for Today’s Articles:
Do You Have “Text Neck”?
“Texting becoming a pain in the neck,” University of Nebraska Medical Center, February 27, 2013.