Smartphones have become a big part of many people’s everyday life. But recent studies show that it can affect the posture that may lead to complications in the cervical spine. Check out the article we found at Articles Mercola.
Your head weighs about 12 pounds, and if you spend a significant amount of time hunched over—meaning, your head bent forward and down as when texting, emailing, or gaming—the forces on your cervical spine are substantial.
The degree to which this position affects your spine depends on the angle of the bend and the amount of time you spend with your head in this position.
In his study, Dr. Hansraj determined that, when you bend your head forward at 15 degrees, its weight effectively increases from 12 pounds to 27 pounds. At 45 degrees, your head exerts 49 pounds of force, and at 60 degrees, 60 pounds—this is like carrying an eight year-old child around on your neck for several hours a day!
Others claim that the pressure on your spine doubles with every inch of head tilt. In 2013, some 1.91 trillion text messages were sent in the US, according to CTIA, The Wireless Association. Smartphone users spend an average of two to four hours per day hunched over their devices, which amounts to 700 to 1,400 hours per year that they are exerting this stress on their spines. High schoolers may be even worse off, spending an additional 5,000 hours in this position, according to the study.
According to Hansraj, “text neck” may lead to early wear and tear on your spine and early spinal degeneration. As you repeatedly pull and stretch this area, it may become inflamed over time, which can result in muscle strain, pinched nerves, herniated discs, and abnormalities to your neck’s natural curvature.
This forward neck posture has also been linked to headaches, neurological problems and heart disease. That is sad because it is relatively easy to assume a healthy natural posture with your neck. All you need to do is slide your chin up at 45 degrees, which puts your head over your shoulders and causes your chest to move forward.
Next Article: Top Cell Phones With The Highest Cancer-Causing Radiation
Read Full Article: Heads Up: Are You Developing “Text Neck”?
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