Cell phone use got you down? Well, you may be feeling down because you're looking down. Cell phone use -- "tech neck" -- really does affect your spine and body!
Everyone uses digital technology these days. Young children, senior citizens, and everyone in between can often be found on their cell phones or iPads, as the variety of available gadgets continues to expand. While recent advances in technology are impressive, research shows that it may be having a surprising impact on human health. (1)
Of course, cell phones are extremely convenient. Not only can you communicate with someone while you're out and about, but you can also snap pictures, take videos, keep notes, fill in your calendar with birthday and other event reminders, catch up on the latest news or sports scores, and constantly have all of your favorite social media sites at your fingertips.
Let's take a walk. You wander past a row of offices at work, then cross the street past cars waiting at a red light, and stroll through the mall or downtown market. If you really stop to look around, you'll probably notice a consistent pattern everywhere you go.
Figure 1. The weight seen by the spine increases when flexing the neck at varying degrees. An adult head weighs 10-12 pounds in the neutral position. 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. (5)
So typing a message, reading an email, or browsing the Internet with your head tilted downward can lead to an astounding 60 pounds of pressure, and the average person spends about two hours a day in this position, putting an extreme amount of force on the neck and spine! (6)
That's a lot! And I think you get the point.
Accidentally leaving your cell phone at home these days can feel like you've left the house without putting your pants on. In fact, the cell phone has gone from a convenience to a necessity for many. (2)
Let's take a walk. You wander past a row of offices at work, then cross the street past cars waiting at a red light, and stroll through the mall or downtown market. If you really stop to look around, you'll probably notice a consistent pattern everywhere you go.
People around you aren't looking up.
They're staring at their laptops and their cell phones. Whether they're bored, escaping human interaction, checking a few websites or texting, their necks are angled down, and their eyes are fixated on the screen. Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, chief of spinal surgery at New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, wrote a piece that was published in Surgical Technology Internationalthat details the health effects of cell phones on a person's neck and spine. He developed the model below to show just how much extra weight is put onto the spine as the head tilts forward at an increased angle. (3, 4) Figure 1. The weight seen by the spine increases when flexing the neck at varying degrees. An adult head weighs 10-12 pounds in the neutral position. 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. (5)
"These stresses," Hansraj wrote, "may lead to early wear, tear, degeneration, and possibly surgeries."Part of having good posture entails keeping the ears aligned with the shoulders and holding the shoulder blades back. This lowers stress on the body and even decreases cortisol levels. (7)
