Technology is literally killing our spines!
Use of laptops, phones and tablets can have a dark side via associated spinal strains that commonly occur from hours of forward head posture, plus forward upper spinal strain when people obsessively watch small screens. The head is like a bowling ball that strains the neck.
Researchers have found that typing on a touch-screen for long periods of time may be more likely to cause muscle issues in the upper body than using a conventional keyboard. Golden Bay Chiropractic Works could help with ergonomic advice and precise spinal adjustment as required.
Unlike the traditional keys found on desktop and PCs, touch-screens (tablet virtual keyboards) and phones are activated by any physical contact with the skin. Therefore users are unable to rest their fingers on the keyboard and must keep their fingers and wrists hovering over the screen to avoid accidentally hitting the keys. This can lead to ‘prolonged static muscle loading’ – when muscles are kept tense and motionless – in the shoulders, the researchers at Northern Illinois University said.
Lead author Jeong Ho Kim said: ‘The prolonged static muscle loading is a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders, thus using a virtual keyboard for long periods of time may increase the risk for musculoskeletal discomfort and disorders in the neck and shoulder. ’It comes as researchers last week warned of a modern affliction known as ‘text neck’. A study by surgeons found that holding the head at 60 degrees – typical of our posture when texting on a phone – exerts 22 kilograms of pressure on the top part of the spine.
Lead researcher Kenneth Hansraj, Chief of Spine Surgery at New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, said the extra stress may lead to ‘early wear, tear, degeneration and possibly surgeries’. According to Ofcom, 44 per cent of UK households now have a tablet – up from less just 24 per cent a year ago. Australia also has the same upward trend with increased usage of smart phones and tablets increasing potential harm.
Could you have “text neck?”
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