How many hours do you spend on your cell phone daily? Sources say we spend to 3 hours on our phones daily.
That's a lot of time to be on a device, especially with poor posture. The more often we are in poor posture, the more likely we are to develop 'text-neck.'
"Text-neck" is a painful condition where the neck muscles are overworked from holding the head up as we look down at our cell phones.
When our cervical spine is in a neutral posture (with the ear in line with the shoulder), our head weighs about 10 pounds. For every inch the ear is forward of the shoulder, the head weighs up to 60 pounds, and our neck and back muscles strain to hold the head up.
Over time, we can develop severe muscle imbalances in the neck and back, potential damage to the vertebral discs, and that unsightly hunchback.
How can we be in neutral posture with our cell phones?
Let me show you some ways:
Don't: Hold your phone in front of your abdomen, forcing you to look down.
Do: flex your elbows, bringing the phone closer to your face, allowing you to keep your head upright.
What about when you're on the couch?
Don't: hold the phone in your lap, forcing you to look down.
Do: prop your elbows up with pillows or a blanket, and bring the phone closer to your face.
Most of our technology (cell phones and laptops) are not ergonomic, so we must make adjustments to protect our necks.
Did you know I also do office worker assessments? Working on a computer all day can be very straining on the body, and I'm here to help guide you.
And, if you're working in the operatory, I have video-based ergonomic courses to help you with positioning to save your body.
Enjoy your day and remember to save your neck!