Is Your Smart Phone a Pain in the Neck?
Neck pain is a common condition we see in our clinic. Although there are many causes, a person texting or working on their mobile device is becoming an increasingly prevalent cause of neck pain.
According to an article written in The Washington Post entitled, 'Text neck' is becoming an 'epidemic' and could wreck your spine, Dr. Ken Hansraj, MD, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine states, "It is an epidemic or, at least, it's very common"; "Just look around you, everyone has their heads down."
Our head weighs about 12 pounds. Dr. Hansraj's research demonstrates our head progressively gets heavier as our neck goes into forward flexion. In fact, the study shows our head weighs 60 pounds when our neck is flexed forward to 60 degrees!
This constant barrage of strain and tension on the supporting structures of our neck may cause headaches, neck pain, disc problems, pinched nerves, and early degenerative changes.
"While it is nearly impossible to avoid the technologies that cause these issues, individuals should make an effort to look at their phones with a neutral spine and to avoid spending hours each day hunched over," according to the research.
"I love technology. I'm not bashing technology in any way," Hansraj told The Post. "My message is: Just be cognizant of where your head is in space. Continue to enjoy your smartphones and continue to enjoy this technology — just make sure your head is up."
If you are experiencing 'text neck', call our clinic today. We are here to help you stay mobile and pain free.