Smartphones and other media devices are changing the way we stay connected to the world. It’s almost impossible to find an adult who doesn’t have a cell phone, as they allow us to stay in touch with family, send work emails on the go and stay connected with the news of the day. Unfortunately, sending texts, composing emails and checking scores takes a toll on our neck and back, as we’re often leaning forward and looking down at our phones. Today, we’re going to look at how cell phones have led to the rise of “text neck” cases in medical centers, and what you can do to prevent it.

Text Neck and Cell Phones

Although it probably doesn’t feel that heavy, the typical human head weights between 10 and 12 pounds, and that weight can put a lot of strain on your neck and back when you hunch forward. The further you tilt your head forward, the more strain there is on your cervical spine and the muscles, tendons, ligaments and intervertebral discs in the area. But just how much stress are we putting on the spine when we text?

To answer that question, we turn to Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, Chief of Spine Surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine. Using a computer model of the cervical spine, he was able to gauge just how much stress we’re putting on our neck when we lean forward to text and type on our phones.

• At a forward tilt angle of just 15 degrees, your neck will experience 27 pounds of strain.
• At 30 degrees forward tilt, the strain on the neck can equate to a 40 pound head.
• At 45 degrees forward tilt, the strain can equate to a 49 pound head.
• At 60 degrees, it will feel like your head weighs 60 pounds.

When you consider that a recent poll suggests that the average person looks down at their phone or tablet for anywhere from 2-4 hours a day, it’s easy to see just how frequently we are overloading our neck and spine. It’s no surprise that spine specialists and physiotherapists are seeing more teenagers and adults in their offices complaining of cervical spine pain.

Tips For Preventing Text Neck

So how can we prevent neck and spine injuries when we’re looking at our phone? It really boils down to posture awareness and moderation.

Posture Awareness – If you need to send a text or email a friend, don’t put the phone in your lap. If you have it down there, you’ll inherently lean forward and strain your neck. Move your phone away from your body so you don’t have to tilt forward to type. If you’re texting at a desk or table, put the phone up on the table and you’ll find that you aren’t hunched over as often when texting. Try to keep your head positioned directly above your shoulders and in line with your spine.

Moderation – Phones can help us stay connected, but they can also distance us from close company. Try to use your phone and tablet in moderation, because you don’t need to be playing Angry Birds or Temple Run for hours on end. Get outside, talk with your family, go for a bike ride, or take the dog for a walk. Put the phones down and live in the moment, and you’ll notice less stress on your neck and spine.

If you notice that your spine and neck have been hurting and you believe your phone may be partially to blame, contact a spine specialist today.