Using The Mobile A Lot Causes Neck Pain

To avoid neck pain resulting from excessive use of the mobile, the first measure is to lift the device instead of lowering the head. Stretching is also recommended. What other tips should be taken into account?

The syndrome known as text neck – something like ‘text message neck’ in Spanish – is increasingly common in today’s society. It is caused by spending many hours with your head down looking at your mobile or tablet. Although almost everyone owns a smartphone , not many know how devices can cause neck pain.

As the phrase that became popular thanks to the movie Spider-Man says , “With great power comes great responsibility.” This can be applied to new technologies, since although they make our lives easier on many occasions, they can also be harmful if we do not make appropriate use of them.

Mobile and cervical pain

The “text message neck” disorder is typical of the 21st century and is becoming a global epidemic. According to a study published by the journal Archives of Medicine , tilting your head so much forward to write messages, watch videos or series or play games on mobile devices can cause:

• Stiff neck and shoulders.
• Headaches
• Contractures.

More and more young people attend the consultation with a traumatologist or kinesiologist due to these symptoms, in search of treatments and advice for a disease unthinkable in previous generations.

The increase in the use of mobile devices produced a significant increase in alterations at the cervical level and in the spine in general. If we add to this the little strengthening of the muscles due to sedentary life, we can understand why there are more and more affected by the text neck .

We spend hours and hours in front of a computer at work. Later, in front of the television “resting” and, when we go to bed, we check the mobile for long minutes, even hours. This, added to the lack of exercise, can be fatal for the body, as a study published by the Medical Journal of Chile warns .

Neck pain arises from a combination of factors

First of all, we should understand that the cervicals are a group of seven vertebrae that are located in the highest part of the back. Its main functions are to support the head and give the neck mobility.

This upper part of the spine is the most flexible. However, it is also the most exposed to the stresses and contractures due to the lifestyle that many people lead today.

For example, if we make a sudden movement with the neck, we lift a lot of weight, we have bruxism or we sleep poorly, the consequence could be several hours of discomfort in that delicate area.

Also, an incorrect position of the head and neck causes a problem called vertebral subluxation. In this case, one or more vertebrae are misaligned and compress the nervous system. For this reason, neck pain is associated with headaches, fatigue, tiredness or lack of concentration.

The higher the incline, the greater the weight for the cervicals

The responsibility for neck pain is bad habits, no doubt, but we could also blame the weight of the head. The skull of an adult weighs between four and five kilos.

Thus, as explained in the study in the Archives of Medicine cited above (p. 337), the more the neck is tilted forward —as when we look at the mobile—, the more weight the vertebrae must support.

This extra weight alters the natural curvature of the spine. This not only causes contractures or strains, but also tears and injuries.

To hold 4 kilograms, the cervicals should support about 12 kilos if the head is about 15 degrees. Likewise, if it is tilted at 30 degrees, the load will be approximately 18 kilograms, while if we tilt it 45 degrees, it will amount to 18 kilos. Finally, with the head at 60 degrees, the neck supports a total of 45 kilos.

In addition, to this we must add another very common habit: tilting the head to one side when we talk on the phone while doing other tasks, such as typing on the computer, preparing dinner or changing.

Mobile devices affect other areas of the body

As if it were not enough to damage the cervicals, the habit of walking from here to there with the mobile affects, for example, the wrists. As the same Colombian publication explains, it is very common today to find people with tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Many times this is due to excessive use of the smartphone or tablet.

It happens that the position that the hand must take, added to the movement of the fingers, is unnatural. When there are injuries to the tendons, especially the thumb, the pain extends to the wrist and causes numbness or tremors.

Another consequence of being continuously with the mobile nearby is related to eye health. According to a publication by UC Davis Health, a medical center dependent on the University of California in the United States, the blue light emitted by mobile phones is extremely harmful to the eyes.

In fact, one of the possible causes that we are becoming more myopic is the excessive use of technological devices. Of course, this covers a wide range of devices: smartphone , computer, television, tablet, video game consoles, among others.

How to avoid neck pain from using the mobile?

Even if the discomfort does not appear overnight, there will come a time when the symptoms will no longer be mild and it will be difficult for us to keep our heads up without feeling a twinge in the neck. In such cases, it is common to get dizzy frequently and have a headache every day.

All this may be because excessive use of the mobile is damaging your cervicals. Some ways to reduce or avoid pain in this area are:

Raise the screen

This means that we will not have to lower our heads to read a message, but to put the device at eye level. The idea is that the eyes move, nothing more.

Check posture

As we cannot blame only the smartphone, we must also change certain daily habits. For example, use a chair with a better backrest, pay attention to the posture of the back, place the computer screen at the indicated height, etc.

Do exercise

It is essential to strengthen the cervical area to avoid permanent damage. To do this, an alternative is to do relaxing movements at home or in the office (to the sides, backwards, in a circle).

Likewise, it is advisable to do physical activity. As a review published by Age and Aging indicates , exercise favors the correction of postural hygiene. In this way, practicing sports that demand the effort of many muscle groups such as swimming, yoga or Pilates will always be positive.

Reduce mobile use

This may seem impossible. However , the effects are too good not to try. A good way to start is to mute your phone or turn off notifications.

It is also possible to try leaving the device in the bag or in the living room when being in another room in the house. Setting times to check email and social media is also a healthy practice.

Neck pain is avoided with daily habits

In conclusion, if we apply these tips, we will surely be able to reduce the incidence of these limiting annoyances for everyday activities. The key is in the habits that we are forming and in the use that we make of the tools that we have.

We know how difficult it is to disconnect today. Phones and tablets are often associated with work, so we feel irresponsible to abandon their use. Still, we must remember that health comes first.