Tech Neck is a Real Epidemic

How many hours a day are you on your smartphone? Holding it by your waist or lap? Looking down? How does your neck feel? Stiff? Sore? Achy?

Text Neck Meme

Close to 2 billion people worldwide use a smartphone on a regular basis, translating to a good deal of people with poor posture, which is bad for our necks. Dr. Kenneth Hansraj* has conducted research to understand the impact of smartphone use on the cervical spine (neck).

The findings are weighty.

An average person’s head weighs between 10 and 12 pounds. So on any given day, a person is balancing the equivalent of a bowling ball on the top of their body. Good posture, 0 degrees: 10-12 lbs

Now, what happens if you tip your head forward to check your phone?

The “weight” of your head increases, which greatly increases the strain on your spine.

15 degrees: 27 lbs
30 degrees: 40 lbs
45 degrees: 49 lbs
60 degrees: 60 lbs

Imagine. Tilting your head forward 60 degrees puts 60 pounds of stress, or the equivalent of a small child on your neck.

What can you do to counter this? (Assuming you’re not ready to give up your smartphone)

1. Be more aware of keeping your head in a neutral position.
2. Hold up your phone so that it’s in front of you, and you only have to move your eyes to read, not bend your head down.
3. Limit the time you use your smartphone to browse the internet, catch up on news or play games. Use it as a phone and save the other activities for when you have a computer or tablet on a desktop in front of you.
4. Talk to your kids/teens about the effect all their texting has on their necks.
5. Do regular neck stretches to reduce strain, increase muscle strength and maintain good posture.
6. Visit a chiropractor for a spinal checkup.

At Back Clinics of Canada we have seen a notable increase in patients with serious neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches.

The High Performance Healing System™ is designed to treat serious cervical pain due to “tech neck”, disc degeneration, bulging or herniated disc, spinal arthritis, spinal stenosis and facet syndrome. It is a non-surgical drugless system that delivers lasting results. To learn more, or to schedule a free consultation and examination, call 416-633-3666.

You deserve a pain-free life.

* Source: Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head Kenneth K. Hansraj, MD, Chief of Spine Surgery, New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, New York, New York

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