Are Smartphones and Tablets a pain in the neck?

10th July 2020

Your neck posture whist looking at messages and emails on your smart phone and watching videos or playing games on your tablet for extended periods can put extra tension and pressure on your neck muscles.

‘Text Neck’!

‘Text neck’ is a term now being used to describe neck issues caused by overuse of phones, tablets and other wireless devices that are used frequently and for long periods of time

How many hours do you spend on your mobile each day?

An average of four hours a day could mean around 1,400 hours where extra stress is being put onto your neck vertebrae and muscles each year

Symptoms…

• Tightness and stiffness across your shoulders
• Sore or painful neck movements
• Pain in the neck, upper back, arms
• Headaches
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or hands
• Vision problems

Why is this happening?

Your head weighs around ten to twelve pounds.

As you angle your head down to look at your device, the effective weight increases;

• At a 15-degree angle your head is about 27lbs,
• At a 45-degree angle your head is about 49lbs
• At a 60-degree angle you head is about 60lbs – the average weight of an 8 year old!

What you can do to help yourself?

• Reduce the time you spend on your device(s) each day
• Take regular breaks
• Hold the screen at eye level
• Use voice recognition to write texts and emails
• Make a phone call instead
• Exercise regularly; a strong back and neck will be able to handle extra stress

Consult your physio if you start to feel any aches and pains after using your device for long periods.