Smartphone puts stress on the neck
The 25th issue of Surgical Technology International features an article by New York-based orthopedic surgeon Kenneth Hansraj, who convincingly proved that the cause of persistent pain in the cervical spine is ... smartphones and tablets.
As a result of the research, the doctor found that the habit of bending over the gadget for typing and reading texts can lead to an increase in the load on the neck six times - up to 27 kg. Whereas in the normal position of the head, the load is about 5 kg.
Every time you tilt your head 2.5 cm forward, you increase the load by 4.5 kg, says Kenneth Hansraj.
Negative consequences
As a result of tension and subsequent fatigue, the neck muscles stretch, and the intervertebral discs do not interact correctly, pinching the nerve roots, which leads to their inflammation. And this is just the beginning of your problems, doctors say. Dr. Michelle Collie, director of the Performance Physical Therapy Clinic, believes that a smartphone can cause metabolic disorders, that is, the metabolism in your body. In a bent position, the lungs receive less oxygen (loss of up to 30%), the blood supply to the head also deteriorates, and digestion is disturbed.
How to straighten
For those who are unable to independently control their posture, Fishman's Text Neck Institute specialists have created a mobile application that informs the user about the dangerous tilt of the head. When the smartphone is in a safe viewing angle, a green light is displayed at the top of the screen. In the event of a dangerous change, a red light comes on and a warning signal sounds. The application is available only for owners of Android smartphones: there is both a free version and a paid version on Google Play. The latter has been expanded due to a set of preventive exercises and a calculator of the time spent with an incorrect head tilt.
To avoid problems, physical therapists advise taking frequent breaks from communicating with your smartphone and keeping it right in front of your eyes without tilting your head. Use your desktop computer more often, they advise. Every 20 minutes, stretch your neck and shoulders, and walk more to increase circulation.
If the addiction has weakened your muscles so much that they no longer maintain a normal posture, strengthen them with a reverse "bridge" (setu bandha sarvangasana). This yoga exercise develops all the muscles in the back of the body and balances their interaction. As a result, the pelvis, back and neck come to an optimal mutual position in which it is easy to hold the neck correctly.
Read: "How to Choose a Smartphone: 9 Steps"
Be sure to watch the video on how to properly perform Seto Bandha Sarvangasana
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