What Texting Does To Your Neck

Even though most smartphones are lightweight, after minutes or hours of use they seem to get much heavier. We all know that we're supposed to hold the phone level with our eyes, but most of us have taken to holding the phone in our lap. This forces our neck and head to do all the work, craning down to look at our laps.

If you take a moment to think about it, this is a highly unusual posture. No one in human history has spent so much time looking straight down as we do today. Even fine work, such as sewing or lace-making, can be done on a tabletop or counter, at least bringing the work closer to our eyes.

This unusual neck posture has been called "Text Neck" for many years now, and its influence is only growing on a large population of young people who are reporting neck pain, headaches, and shoulder pain. Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria has a large patient population with these symptoms, and I believe they are becoming more common as smartphone technology becomes necessary for work and play. Fortunately, the symptoms are preventable with proper posture and treatable with gentle chiropractic care. The video below provides an excellent explanation of Text Neck and how to avoid it.