Mobile phones have now become a priority for almost everyone. Not just adults, kids are equally addicted to mobile phones. A day without mobile phones seems impossible. You may sometimes forget your essentials before leaving your home but you can never forget your phone. From texting to gaming and watching movies, mobile phones have occupied most of the part of one’s life. According to a few researches, every individual spends around five hours a day or more on mobile phones. But do you know too much indulgence in mobile phones can lead to a serious harmful position? This poor position is called ‘text neck’.
What is text neck?
While using your mobile phones, you often look slightly down with head forward, shoulders round and back bent. This poor posture is called text neck. This position adds strain to the neck and can lead to stress injury. The term was coined by US chiropractor Dr. Dean L. Fishman.
Symptoms of text neck
When a mobile phone user is looking down for maximum hours during the day then he or she can experience some symptoms. While looking down your neck has to carry more weight which increases the stress on the neck. Some of the symptoms may include:
- Tightness across shoulders
- Pain in the neck which can become severe after a few days
- Chronic headaches
The young generation is more likely to experience these symptoms because they are more indulged to their mobile phones and are somewhere addicted to it.
Also read: Neck Pain Relief Exercises
Prevention methods
Text neck can be prevented with some simple steps. You can control the condition before it gets worse. If you notice that you spend too much time looking down at your mobile phones then you must follow these prevention steps.
Notice the symptoms: You must be aware of the symptoms and should keenly observe them. Mild discomfort and pain should not be ignored.
Take a break: Take a note of the time you spend on your device. You should take a break every 15 minutes. Look up and bring your neck back to the initial position.
Hold your phone at the right position: Try to keep your phone aligned to your eyes so that you do not have to look down. Also, make sure that you do not keep the phone too close to your eyes because it can affect your eyes as well.
Also read: 7 Health Tips to Prevent Back and Neck Pain
When to see a doctor?
If the pain is very severe then you must visit a doctor. This can even lead to nerve pain in the neck. In such a situation when you experience too much pain then you must see your doctor.
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