Text Neck Could Lead to Chronic Problems
What is text neck?
With the rapid increase in texting in our culture, a new diagnosis, text neck syndrome is becoming more prevalent. Also known as a repetitive stress injury, text neck syndrome can occur after prolonged periods of time spent looking down or hunched over a digital device. Poor posture can negatively affect your cervical spine and the head-forward posture is becoming quite common in our society.
Excessive strain can place up to 60 pounds of extra force to the cervical spine.
Pain and soreness from overused muscles in the neck and upper back are common symptoms of text neck syndrome. These symptoms could eventually lead to chronic problems, such as the early onset of arthritis in the neck, according to Dr. Michael Nelson D.C., founder of Carolina Active Health Chiropractic.
Dr. Nelson recommends these tips for avoiding text neck:
- Keep your shoulders pulled back while standing/sitting;
- Consciously try to keep the body aligned in a neutral position;
- Move your device to eye level so the neck isn’t tilted;
- Take frequent breaks;
- Spend time away from the device.
Preventing the development of text neck syndrome is key so be sure to focus on your posture at home and in the workplace. Your posture is the foundation for every movement your body makes and it’s essential for good health and overall physical wellness. People with good posture enjoy pain-free movement and flexibility, better balance and coordination and peak athletic performance. Yoga and pilates are great exercises that regularly teach posture and body-awareness.
