Beauty Forum Feb23 - Flipbook - Page 75
Technology can be such a pain
in the neck
All that texting and scrolling
leads to a rise in ‘tech neck’
“Humans are upright creatures, and our
bodies aren’t designed to look down for
long periods of time, which puts extra
pressure on the cervical spine,” said
Kavita Trivedi, D.O., Associate Professor of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and
Associate Medical Director of the Spine
Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is
part of UTSW's Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain
Institute.
The typical adult head weighs 10-12
pounds, but bending it forward at a 45degree angle – not unusual when looking
at a cellphone – increases the amount of
force on the neck to nearly 50 pounds.
“With repetition, that force can strain or
injure the facet joints that connect our
vertebrae. When that happens, the
surrounding muscles naturally tighten up
to protect nearby nerves, which leads to
inflammation, pain, and knots in your neck
– what is often referred to as tech neck,”
Dr. Trivedi said.
Americans spend an
average of more than five
hours a day on their
mobile phones and even
more hours staring at
laptops and computer
screens.
The repetitive strain on
the bones, nerves, and
muscles caused by
looking down at a device
can result in muscle
stiffness, joint
inflammation, pinched
nerves, arthritis, and
even bone spurs or
herniated discs.
Learn how to prevent "tech
neck" while using devices
If you don’t currently have neck pain, take steps
to protect yourself. Holding your phone at eye
level as much as possible can help reduce the
strain on your neck and possibly prevent future
issues.
“Our phones and tablets are valuable tools, and
there’s no need to give them up,” Dr. Trivedi
said. “The solution is to learn how to prevent
tech neck while using these devices, and if pain
develops, see a specialist who can help.”
