Is Text Neck The Cause of Your Pain?
Prolonged use of handheld devices can cause neck pain. This repetitive stress and overuse are known as text neck. Although it refers to general device use and not just texting. Also known as tech neck, the pain derives from the head is bent forward. As you use mobile devices, your posture changes. Looking downward causes muscle imbalances and pain.
The Heavy Head
The weight of your head is a big part of text neck pain. Your head weighs between 10 and 12 pounds. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your neck are designed to support this weight. And when your head is leaning forward, it’s heavier. Therefore, problems will persist.
Looking at a 45-degree angle increases the weight on the neck to almost 60 pounds! This is much more than the neck is designed to support. Prolonged periods like this causes damage to the neck.
What To Do About Text Neck
Initially, you will feel a mild ache. This will be in the neck and upper back. You may also feel a sharp pain or stiffness in the area. If text neck is the cause of your pain, the following treatments can help:
- Limiting mobile device use
- Holding devices at eye level
- Exercising and stretching neck and back muscles
Without change, however, forward head posture will cause serious neck damage. Therefore, worsening your posture and mobility. In fact, continued poor posture can accelerate degenerative conditions. Conditions such as cervical osteoarthritis and degenerative disk disease can occur.
How Tablets Hurt Your Neck
There are a few reasons why mobile devices pose unique risks to the spine.
Severe neck angle: Mobile devices are typically held lower than the head. So, unlike televisions, your neck is strained when viewing, since the screen angle is more severe. Therefore, the stress on the neck and spine are greater.
Touchscreen factor: Studies found that people lean forward more with texting and even more than when browsing the web. Typically, texting involves both hands and more screentime. Therefore, requiring you to move your shoulders forward more. Causing more strain on your neck.
Activities such as washing the dishes may also have your head leaning forward. However, it is not for as long a time as when using a tablet. People are less likely to switch positions when on their devices.
Impact on Growing Spines
There is a concern for the damage being done to young people. Kids are on mobile devices more than ever today. Does this mean their spines are at risk? There has been an increase in neck pain and posture problems in teenagers. Chiropractors and doctors believe device use is to blame. Studies have found a link between phone use and the risk of neck pain. More research is needed, but how its linked is well known. The prolonged use of mobile devices increases neck pain. It can also increase the risk of serious spine and posture changes!
Therefore, it’s a good idea to practice proper device posture when typing or scrolling.
If you are experiencing neck pain, call us at 888-409-8006. Our top neck/ back pain specialists in Boca Raton are here to help!