“Text Neck”: Shocking Facts You Don’t Want To Miss

"Text -Neck" is becoming a syndrome for many Americans  

Of the 6 billion people that walk this planet, over 4 billion own mobile devices. Texting is extremely convenient and a quick form of communication for many of us. Over one billion text messages are sent every month worldwide. On a typical day, Americans spend around 2.7 hours per day texting, checking e-mails, and surfing the web from their mobile devices.

Dean L. Fishman coined the phrase “Text Neck" an overuse syndrome or a repetitive stress injury, where you have your head hung forward and down looking at your mobile device for extended periods of time.” And this syndrome isn’t limited to cell phones; the same goes for tablets, laptops, or other wireless devices.  

Text Neck May Cause Long-Term Damage 

Text Neck Syndrome seems to be a profound concern for young people, and could cause permanent damage to their cervical spines that could lead to lifelong neck pain.

As students, we hang our heads to cram in our daily studies and take tests, but we’d get up and go about our days. The problem is with the added activity of texting this causes kids to look down more frequently and for longer periods of time. So, the positioning is almost non-stop.

The issue is no different for adults, days are spent in meetings, at work, and even stopped at red lights with our electronic devices glued to our sides. Long-term forward neck posture impacts the natural curve you are supposed to have in your neck, which can lead to disc herniated and pinched nerves.  

Symptoms of "Text Neck."

Text neck most commonly causes neck pain and soreness. Also, looking down at your cell phone too much each day can lead to:

• Upper back pain ranging from chronic, nagging pain to sharp, severe upper back muscle spasms.
• Shoulder pain and tightness, possibly resulting in painful shoulder muscle spasm.
• If a nerve becomes pinched, pain and possibly neurological symptoms can radiate down your arm and into your hand.
• May cause issues in your arms and hands 
• Headaches
• Other health issues 

How much pressure is put on our cervical spine?

The amount of pressure we put on our cervical spine each day is comparable to carrying an eight-year-old child around your neck for a few hours.

• The human head weighs about 12 pounds, and at a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds
• At 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds
• At 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds
• At 60 degrees it’s 60 pounds  

4 Tips for Mobile Users to Avoid Pain:

1. Look down at your device with your eyes no need to bend your neck,
2. Do exercises to improve your posture, and strengthen your core
3. Take breaks throughout the day (recommended every 20-30 minutes, take a brisk walk or take a lap around the office)
4. "Text Neck" App to check your posture at home 
5. Visit an Arrowhead Chiropractic Clinic Near You to keep your spine properly aligned and adjusted 

Visiting your chiropractor for help 

Text neck is a serious issue, our highly trained chiropractors can relieve your pain with safe and natural treatment plans. Beginning with spinal alignment our doctors will assess your pain points and successfully relieve your injuries. We may use a combination of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and lifestyle goals as part of your treatment plan for "text neck."

Through our medical care, we can help you obtain lasting results to live a healthy pain-free life.