A Syndrome called TEXT NECK

Weeks ago, in a public transport, on my way to the mall, I saw a teenage boy looking downwards at his smartphone which was held resting on his thigh.

Few minutes into the journey, he was rubbing and slightly rotating his neck left and right looking confused, one could tell from his facial expression he was wondering why he was experiencing a discomfort. Little did he know it was associated with the use of his smartphone.

Technology today is causing a pandemic of poor posture and neck strain starting from a young age.
Recently, I discovered a bad habit associated with the use of smartphone and laptop which unfortunately takes a toll on a person’s health.

Text neck is a Modern age term coined to describe repeated stress injury and pain in the neck resulting from excessive watching or texting on hand held devices over a sustained period of time. It is a cause for increasing concern especially with children and young adults given their greater propensity to mobile phone usage.

The term ‘Text Neck’ was coined by Dr. DL Fishman, a US chiropractor. This condition is a growing lifestyle and health condition with the constant growth in mobile user population all over the world. Apart from neck pain, it can also cause shoulder pain, upper back pain, headaches and increased thoracic kyphosis (a deformity in the normal position of the spinal bones associated with the neck and chest region).
In case you are wondering, yes, the way we handle our smartphones can cause severe pain. That constant headache you are having could be connected.

Symptoms of Text Neck Syndrome

The most common presentation of Text Neck is neck pain, stiffness and soreness. The main symptoms include;
1) Stiff neck: Soreness and difficulty in moving the neck is usually present when trying to move the neck after long usages.
2) Pain: Can be localized to one spot or may be diffused over an area, usually lower part of the neck. Can be described as dull aching or can also be sharp or stabbing in extreme cases.
3) Radiating pain: This can often be radiation of pain into the shoulders and arms.
4) Muscular weakness: Shoulders muscles namely, trapezius, rhomboids and shoulder external rotators are often weak
5) Headache

Others include;Early onset arthritis, Spinal degeneration, Disc compression, Muscle weakness and (but not limited to) Loss of lung capacity.

How does this happen?

Flexing the head forward to use a smartphone affects the spine directly. Tilting the head forward to 15 degrees places about 9.08 kg of force on the neck which is almost equivalent to 9bags of 1kg semolina placed at the back of the neck.

This increases to 18.16kg at 30 degrees, 22.25kg at 45 degrees and 27.24kg at 60 degrees.

Damage caused by untreated text neck can be similar to occupational overuse syndrome or repetitive stress/strain injury.

How to self diagnose TEXT NECK

Source; relaxtherapieswirral.com

What can be done to treat text neck?

Prevention is essential as the following suggestions should be kept in mind while using smartphones or other hand held devices:
1) Avoid excessive usage and take frequent breaks.
2) Avoid prolonged static postures.
3) Position the device such that it reduces stresses both on the head/neck and the upper extremities.
4) Avoid high repetitions of movements such as prolonged typing or swiping.
5) Avoid holding large or heavy devices in one hand for long duration.

In acute cases, pain relief is the main goal. It can be achieved by
Regular neck movements: rotations and side bending
Stretches
Ice/heat packs
Massage
In extreme chronic cases or persistent pain, consult a cerified physician.

If you are a victim of text neck syndrome, do ensure you start taking measures to rehabilitate yourself when it comes to handling your smartphone.
The next time you see someone guilty of holding his/her phone in a bad posture, endeavour to share with him/her this information.

Let us beat text neck syndrome together.

Comments, suggestions, questions, are welcome.

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Do have a lovely weekend