Text neck is a modern term describing the forward head and neck positions adopted while using your smartphone. Have you ever thought about how often you spend each day looking at your mobile or tablet? Recent studies suggest we look at our mobiles and other technology devices on average between 110 to 150 times a day!! Are you guilty of this? This equates to around 2 to 4 hours per day and placing an extra 700 to 1,400 hours of stress on the neck and spine each year.

Sitting or standing for long periods of time with our head bent forward can lead to early wear and tear on the neck. This poor posture can lead to increased muscular tension and inflammation of the neck joints, tissues, nerves and discs. Over time this can cause a permanent change to the neck’s natural curvature.

A study completed by Dr. Kenneth Hansraj in 2014, looked at the forces exerted on the neck when doing this common everyday activity. Did you know an average human head weighs between 4.5 to 5.5kg?! (Something to remember for your next Trivia Quiz Night!!). As we begin to look down towards our phone or tablet the weight of our head increases as the angle increases. The study found at a 15 degree angle of forward head tilt the weight of the head on the cervical spine more than doubled to 12.2kg. At 45 degrees the weight of the head increased to 22.2kgs. At a 60 degree angle, the head weighed almost 5 times more at 27.2kgs! To put it in perspective it is like carrying a sack of potatoes around your neck for two to four hours per day!!

Image: Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine: Caused by Posture and Position of the Head by Kenneth K. Hansraj, MD, Chief of Spine Surgery, New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, New York, New York. Published in Surgical Technology International.
Common early day symptoms include stiffness and achiness in the neck, thoracic spine and upper traps at the end of the day. Often in our busy lifestyles we ignore these early subtle symptoms putting it down to “I had a busy day at work”, “I am getting older”, “It is normal” etc. If you notice a sore neck that does not go away and you notice onset of headaches, tingling and numbness on a regular basis this should NOT be ignored. Early intervention can help with management of these symptoms and help prevent long term damage or injury from occurring.

So what can we do to help?

• Try cut back on your use of your devices.
• It is important to focus on your posture while you are using your smartphone or other technology devices. Try to move your eyes downward towards the screen instead of moving your entire neck.
• Move, move move! Regular change in postural position is recommended – at work, from the couch, in the waiting room!
• Seek treatment if you are suffering from pain that does not go away and you suffer from frequent headaches. Don’t ignore symptoms if you notice pins and needles or numbness in your fingers. This can be a sign that your nerves are under a lot of pressure and not coping well.
• Strengthening postural exercises and stretches as prescribed by your physiotherapist can help with management of your symptoms.

By Sinead Holland (Physiotherapist)

References
Hansraj, K. (2014). Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surgical Technology International,25, 277-279.