Smartphone-related neck pain is now on the rise!
"Living in the modern digital age surely has its benefits. We all enjoy the conveniences contemporary electronic technology offers, especially our mobile handheld devices. How did we ever live without the endless amounts of information, instant results and ability to interact and communicate, all at our fingertips? However, with all the advantages we gain from mobile technology comes the risk of serious and permanent health problems."
The term text neck is a repeated stress injury on the neck caused by excessive texting, overusing handheld electronic devices. It is a health condition that is derived from the onset of cervical spinal degeneration resulting from the repeated stress of frequent forward head flexion while looking down at the screens of mobile devices and 'texting' for long periods of time. I have been seeing an increase of patients with text necks as they come into my office.
"While 75% of the world's population spends hours daily hunched over their handheld devices with their heads flexed forward, they are all in constant danger and at risk of developing Text Neck. The frequent forward flexion causes changes in the cervical spine, curve, supporting ligaments, tendons, and musculature, as well as the bony segments, commonly causing postural change. Among the chief complaints associated with Text Neck are pain felt in the neck, shoulder, back, arm, fingers, hands, wrists and elbows, as well as headaches and numbness and tingling of the upper extremities."
If untreated, Text Neck can result in serious permanent damage such as:
Flattening of the Spinal Curve Onset of Early Arthritis
Spinal Degeneration Spinal Misalignment
Disc Herniation Disc Compression
Muscle Damage Nerve Damage
Loss of Lung Volume Capacity Gastrointestinal Problems
Excerpts from text-neck
