Are you plagued with neck pain? Are you reading this post on your smart phone? Text neck: the struggle is real.
We’ve all heard funny stories of people walking into walls, street signs and other people because they’re so focused on their phones they don’t watch where they’re going. This reliance on technology has put us at greater risk for injury – and not just from accidents. What we don’t often consider is the strain we’re putting on our bodies when we contort ourselves in unnatural ways to read texts and check out what’s happening on social media.
“Text neck,” as it’s being called, is a condition that is being seen more and more as our society continues its love affair with mobile devices. While it sounds funny, it’s more serious than you might think – “text neck” can cause pain, pinched nerves, and even issues like herniated discs or other problems that might require surgery. The graphic below gives some insights into what just a slight tilt of your neck can do to your spine. “Depending on how far you lean over, poor posture can create up to 60 pounds of pressure on your spine.” That’s equivalent to the weight of the average 9 year-old. Ouch.
Image credit: Carilion Clinic Living website
The good news is that there are exercises that can help. Self Magazine recently offered 6 tips to help relieve “text neck,” and, of course, knowledge about the issue can help you be a bit more considerate about how much time you spend looking down. If you’re stretching, exercising and limiting how much you’re tilting your neck and still not feeling relief, we can help. Find the closest PTSMC clinic to you and give a call!
Have questions? Get in touch with us here!