Smartphone or handheld devices are now an ingrained part of day to day life. Some studies have calculated that the average person spends about 4 hours and 37 minutes to 5 hours and 16 minutes per day on a cellphone. This adds up to roughly 70 to 80 days spent staring at a mobile screen every year. We use them for communication, scrolling the internet, connecting to social media, watching videos and more. Spending so much time on our phones has placed major stress on our neck and upper spine. This now common problem has become known as “text neck”. Text neck can cause neck discomfort and compromise your posture. Revelation Chiropractic would like to highlight text neck and how chiropractic care can help.
What is Text Neck?
Text neck refers to the neck and upper spine discomfort that develops from tilting your head down looking at your smartphone or other devices. When your head is positioned over your shoulders, your neck and upper back muscles can support your head properly. When you tilt your head forward the muscles and other structures within the neck have to work harder to support your head. Spending a few minutes looking down at your phone or other devices may not cause major problems. However, repeated or longer times spent looking at your devices will result in more serious problems with your neck, upper spine and muscles.
Symptoms of Text Neck
Text neck can cause a number of problems and not just in the neck and upper spine. Some of the common symptoms of text neck often include.
• Neck Soreness or Stiffness
• Upper-Back Discomfort
• Tight Shoulder Muscles
• Reduced Neck Mobility
• Tension Headaches
• Muscle Fatigue
• Pain Worsens After Prolonged Phone Usage
Some people may have noticed some posture changes as well. Such as the head moves forward and the shoulders have become more rounded. When you suffer from one or more of these symptoms or you begin to have tingling or numbness, you may want to seek chiropractic evaluation and care.
How a Chiropractor Can Help with Text Neck
A chiropractor can take a natural approach to help managing your neck and upper back pain caused by text neck. At first the chiropractor will evaluate your posture, spinal movement, muscle tension and your entire musculoskeletal function. Some of the treatments for text neck may include:
• Chiropractic Adjustments: Chiropractic adjustments can help improve movement and function of the patient. They will address the restrictions in the neck and upper back to help improve mobility and reduce pain.
• Posture Evaluation: A chiropractor will also assess how you hold your head, neck and shoulders during everyday activities. They will recommend posture improvement positions when using your phone, computer and other devices.
• Stretching and Strengthening Exercises: Tight muscles and weak posture muscles can lead to bad positioning. Your chiropractor might recommend exercises that are geared to improve flexibility, strength and stability in the neck, upper back and shoulders.
Chiropractic Care & Therapy in Fort Collins, CO (Just Minutes from Loveland, Berthoud, Johnstown, Windsor and Wellington, Colorado)
Where we are not going to be getting rid of our smartphone and other devices anytime soon, text neck will only effect more and more people. With proper awareness on your head’s positions, stretches and exercises, you can prevent text neck problems. If you find yourself in constant pain, contact Revelation Chiropractic and schedule an appointment today.