Here is a report from the internet.
It's become one of the most common things in America: looking down at your phone. Research is now showing that doing too much of that could mean long-term health issues.
"Text neck" is the term now being used to describe issues with neck muscles as a result of keeping your head down too much to look at a mobile device.
"While the head is angled forward, the ligaments and tendons in the neck and back become overstretched," says Ranjana Mehta with the Texas A&M Health Science Center who is an ergonomics expert. "This overexertion can lead to an inflammation of the muscles and can cause mild to severe neck and back pain. There are increasing reports of “text neck” causing lower back pain, which is often chronic. Other, more severe, side effects can include herniated disks in the spine, which may require surgery."
With the adult human head weighing 10-to-12 pounds, Mehta says upwards of 60 pounds of pressure is put on the spine by looking down at a device.
Among Mehta's pieces of advice: look up occasionally.
"Breaks are important; particularly to help overstretched muscles and connective tissues recover," she says.
Plus, there are apps that can record how much time you've spent on your phone, and ones that will remind you if you've spent too much time on the device.
According to the latest numbers from the Pew Research Center, as of January 2014, 90 percent of American adults have a cell phone, while 58 percent have a smart phone. Plus, 29 percent say they think their cell phone is something they can't live without.
It's become one of the most common things in America: looking down at your phone. Research is now showing that doing too much of that could mean long-term health issues.
"Text neck" is the term now being used to describe issues with neck muscles as a result of keeping your head down too much to look at a mobile device.
"While the head is angled forward, the ligaments and tendons in the neck and back become overstretched," says Ranjana Mehta with the Texas A&M Health Science Center who is an ergonomics expert. "This overexertion can lead to an inflammation of the muscles and can cause mild to severe neck and back pain. There are increasing reports of “text neck” causing lower back pain, which is often chronic. Other, more severe, side effects can include herniated disks in the spine, which may require surgery."
With the adult human head weighing 10-to-12 pounds, Mehta says upwards of 60 pounds of pressure is put on the spine by looking down at a device.
Among Mehta's pieces of advice: look up occasionally.
"Breaks are important; particularly to help overstretched muscles and connective tissues recover," she says.
Plus, there are apps that can record how much time you've spent on your phone, and ones that will remind you if you've spent too much time on the device.
According to the latest numbers from the Pew Research Center, as of January 2014, 90 percent of American adults have a cell phone, while 58 percent have a smart phone. Plus, 29 percent say they think their cell phone is something they can't live without.
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