Have you ever taken a close look at how many people walk along the high street with their heads bent forward looking at their mobile phones!!!! You will be surprised at the amount……
You may even be one of those people who uses their mobile, smartphone or tablet obsessively? However, have you ever realised that headache, shoulder tension and neck pain could be caused by overuse of these devices? A name has been given to this syndrome – ‘Text Neck’.
With ‘Text Neck’ you could be experiencing upper back pain which manifest as anything from a nagging sensation to a sharp pain.
Or possibly cervico-genic headaches. Or neurological symptoms. If a nerve in your neck becomes pinched this could lead to pins and needles, numbness or pain which radiates down into the arm and hand. Or shoulder pain and tightness, which can even restrict your normal lung function through forward slumping!!!
The average weight of the head is 4.5 kg but as you bend you head/neck forward the loading on the neck (cervical spine) increases. The further you bend your head forward the greater the load.
Eight gallons of water weigh 60lbs, so does a boxer dog – imagine that sat on the top of your head!!
So, how can you help yourself? After all we are in an age of technology and I’m sure that most people are not going to leave their phone at home.
- Look down at your device with your eyes. No need to bend your neck. Raise your phone.
- Take frequent breaks, time away from your phone or any type of activity involving forward head posture.
Exercise:
- Move your head from left to right several times.
- Use your hands to provide resistance and push your head against them, first forward and then backward.
Stand in a doorway with your arms extended and push your chest forward to strengthen the muscles of good posture.
There is even an app you can download which gives you real time feedback about whether you are standing in the correct posture, indicated by green or red lights!!!!