“Text neck” is becoming an epidemic

Photo by Dr. Kenneth Hansraj M.D. via the Washingtonpost.com 

Do you own a smartphone? You might want to lift your head up every now and then. According to a study by Dr. Kenneth Hansraj that will be published next month in Surgical Technology International, Smartphone users spend an average of two to four hours per day with their neck bent over, checking e-mails, sending texts or scrolling through social media sites. 700 to 14,000 hours per year!

With every degree that the neck is bent, the pressure and weight on the cervical spine increases. At a thirty-degree angle, the weight is equivalent to 30 pounds. That’s like carrying a medium sized dog on your head for a few hours every day.

When the neck tissue is stretched like this, it can become sore and inflamed, cause pinched nerves and even herniated discs. According to the study, 58 percent of American adults who own smart phones are at risk for one or more of these neck issues.

Luckily Dr. Hansraj has given suggestions to avoid “text neck” like looking down at your phone with your eyes and performing simple daily neck stretches to strengthen muscles and avoid pain.

Are you a Smartphone social media addict? Too many texts from the grandchildren? Luckily, SimpleTherapy has a personalized Neck program for you.