Your head is heavy! Typically, an adult human head weighs between 10 and 12 pounds, as the head tilts or angles forward the weight is affecting the neck directly. According to Dr. Hansraj the average person is holding his or her head forward to look at a phone or tablet for 2 to 4 hours a day.
No wonder many people in North America suffer from back or neck pain. Think of the amount of time spent texting or using other electronic equipment throughout the day.All this stress on your neck leads to many other issues such as upper back pain and Kyphosis.
Kyphosis is an exaggerated, forward rounding of the back that cause back pain. In other words, a ‘hunch back’. At Cambridge Physiotherapy our goal is to eliminate the progression of “text neck” in society. How can we do that?
Its all about posture! Our Physiotherapist can train your muscles and eliminate the issue from getting worse. With physiotherapy, the muscles can be retrained to allow for less pain and stronger muscles to counteract the common desire to slouch. You will probably feel taller!
The more slouched you are, the more strain over your neck. The key is awareness, you must be aware of your posture in order to change it to benefit you later on.
How can this be avoided?
- Reducing the smart phone screen exposure hours.
- Bring the screen to face level and not the head to screen level.
These small changes to the way you hold your phone can keep your neck in a good position to continue to encourage good posture. This not only helps your resting posture improve but your posture in every day life.
Learn more about good body mechanics and strengthening techniques by visiting cambridgephysio.ca, or come in and visit us today at 895 Langs Dr., Cambridge, or call us at 519-219-5428.
Taylor Candela
Cambrige Physiotherapy & Rehab Center
