The real problem with ‘Text Neck’

Smart phones. Tablets Text messages. Social media.

Most of us, myself included, are hooked on our smartphones and multimedia devices.

This is a big problem. Why?

By the constant flexion of the neck.

This constant flexing of the neck may seem like no big deal because in most cases people don’t feel neck pain from texting.

However, what is actually happening is premature aging and wear of the spine and discs. This is called degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis.

And in most cases, you won’t feel pain while your spine is wearing out and degenerating.

However … fast-forward 10 years, 15 years, or 20 years, and the amount of damage, deterioration, and aging of the spine that occurs and is seen on x-rays is staggering. And to think that it could have been avoided or, at the very least, the progression could have been significantly slowed down.

I am especially concerned about children and adolescents because they represent our future.

And while they spend hours and hours on their mobile phones texting and browsing social media, unknowingly and prematurely damaging their spine.

This is a huge problem that I think can be avoided or at least mitigated with some simple proactive changes.

Studies have shown that young people between the ages of 8 and 18 spend 7 and a half hours a day using multimedia devices (TV, computers, smartphones, etc.). That is similar to the amount of time an adult spends at work in one day.

Y …

Of those 7 and a half hours, 2 hours a day are spent on mobile devices. It is two hours a day of “text neck”.

Then what do you do?

# 1. Spend less time on mobile devices. If possible. But especially children and adolescents, they should minimize the amount of time they use mobile devices and sit in front of other multimedia devices.

# two. If you’re on your mobile device for a long period of time, take a short break and lift your head to take a deep breath. Re-extend the head and neck to reverse the forward head position. Also, get in the habit of holding your smartphone closer to eye level to minimize forward bending. Teach this to your children too.

# 3. If you or your child / adolescent have never had a spinal checkup with a chiropractor, now is the time to have your spine checked and evaluated for early postural problems or damage. The earlier you detect the spinal problem, the more favorable the correction will be.

# 4. If you or your child / adolescent are currently under regular chiropractic care, please continue with your regular check-ups. This is the best way to get ahead of the “text neck” and avoid further damage.

# 5. If your chiropractor has prescribed home exercises (traction, posture correction exercises in the mirror), be sure to do them daily. Here’s the best thing you can do at home to counteract the negative effects of everyday mobile device use and daily texting.

Remember, knowledge is power. Having this knowledge and information and not making changes will only ensure that you continue on the same path and keep getting the same results.

So … use this information and start making the necessary changes so that you can lead a healthier life for yourself and your children.