31 May Is texting bad for my neck?
Constant use of devices is causing “text neck” pain. Have you noticed lately how much you look down and the neck pain that results? Most of us spend 8-10 hours looking at a computer during the day. On top of that when we aren’t looking at a computer screen, we are looking down at a phone, iPad, a book or a kindle. We are often not in the best posture when using these devices. It’s no wonder why our necks hurt and we get muscle fatigue, pain and headaches.
Our spines simply aren’t designed to support our heads that way for so many hours. Your head weighs between 12-15 lbs. When supported in good posture it balances well on your spine and skeleton. When looking down, the weight is supported by the muscles in your neck and upper back and your spine is not doing the bulk of the supporting work as it should. The result is neck pain from texting, reading and Facebooking.
My advice is “be where you are at”, it is something I need to practice too. People who email you don’t need instant communication back. Facebook isn’t real life, it isn’t that important. Recent research shows that people who don’t use it report higher levels of happiness and less anxiety. Who among us couldn’t stand a little more happiness and freedom from anxiety.
On top of that, by constantly clicking between apps on our phones or Ipads, we are destroying our attention spans and our ability to concentrate. Research also shows that in the last decade the average American attention span has decreased an enormous amount. I personally didn’t have a lot, to begin with so this isn’t good news.
My recommendations are easier to say than do. Set aside quiet hours and turn your phone off and put it away, at least put it on silent. Make yourself have to get up to check it and put it on silent so the beeping doesn’t entice you into engaging. Set yourself a limit on how many times you can go on Facebook a day and don’t keep it playing in the background on your computer. Respond to emails in chunks if you have to be on top of things, don’t check it or respond constantly.
Part of my problem is that I love to read and often don’t do it in the best posture. If I had to pick between giving up the iPad and giving up the book, the obvious choice is putting the iPad down. I have been trying to leave my iPad in another room lately while I read. Mine is old and almost dead and I am really evaluating whether or not I want a new one. I am starting to think it might be more trouble than it is worth. As for reading, I read either on a kindle that exclusively is a reader or a book. If it was a kindle fire with all of my apps on, I would never actually finish a book because I would be mindlessly clicking between things.
So…bottom line. Put the devices away or use them in good posture. Your back and your brain will thank you! If you would like some tips and tricks on how you can improve your posture or if you would like to sit down with Dr. Travis Ring DC of Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic to discuss your health issues, please give us a call at 918-940-4630. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.