At present, with the technological advances people are experiencing, they can't live without their smart phones and mobile phones. However, they bend their neck to text or browse and that puts a lot of stress on the cervical spine.
According to Dr. Ken Hansraj, a spinal and orthopaedic surgeon in Poughkeepsie, New York, aims to measure the impact of the typical texting posture wherein the head is tilted forward and the shoulders drooping will have on the body.
Approximately, a regular adult's head measures 10-12 pounds in a neutral position. However, if a person will tilt his head forward, it can increase to as much as 60 pounds if it's tilted by 60 degrees. He revealed this information based from the findings he incurred from his study which was published in the journal Surgical Technology International.
The incorrect posture and position of the head when using mobile phones may lead to the early wear, tear, degeneration and even the need for surgery in the future, the study said. According to Hansraj, he observes a lot of patients are engrossed over their devices that can result to back and neck pain.
"You can call it an epidemic. Wherever you go, just look around: People are heads down into their phones, especially teenagers. I'm not against technology. My message is really simple: just be cognizant of where your head is in space," Hansraj told TODAY.
He also issued some measures to follow to avoid neck pain while using devices. First, it is not essential to bring the device at the eye level. The eyes have a wide range of motion which enables it to look down without tilting the head. Also, moving the head several times and touch the ears to the shoulders on both sides can help reduce pain in the neck.
Lastly, when standing in the doorway, extend the arms and push the chest forward to strengthen the muscles of good posture.
