Text neck is a term we are all guilty of practicing. Prolonged used of smartphone use causes an increase in forward pressure and load on the cervical spine. Forward neck posture causes an increase pressure on the small cervical muscles, joints and disc. Kenneth Hansraj, a New York back surgeon, stated, “As the head tilts forward the forces seen by the neck surges to 27 pounds at 15 degrees, 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees and 60 pounds at 60 degrees.”
Poor posture can lead to excessive weight on joints, muscle, and discs. Degeneration can lead to arthritis manifesting as neck pain.
Four ways to avoid text neck:
- Avoid prolonged texting
- Use microphone option
- Use voice recognition
- Alter texting positions
- Strengthen long and weak muscles and lengthen short and tight muscles through exercise and therapy.
The domino effect of poor posture
The effect of posture on health is becoming more evident. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, heart rate and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture. One of the most common postural problem caused by text neck is forward head carriage. Forward head carriage requires constant neck muscle effort to keep your head upright this has a domino effect down the entire body and spine.
Maintaining good posture is essential for optimal health. With a little effort guidance from your Chiropractor, you can be prevent pain and injury caused by poor posture. Take advantage of our complimentary postural and spinal analysis to see if you have become a victim to the Text Neck!
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Dr. Sabaa Aziz
Chiropractor, Acupuncture, Craniosacral