Text neck nothing to LOL about
Published: 2009-11-02 22:18:54
Author: Liz Doup | South Florida Sun-Sentinel | October 25, 2009
Like lots of teens, Meghan Bradley, 17, of Coral Springs texts about as much as she talks. But her 50 to 200 daily texts became a pain in the neck. Physically.
Dean Fishman, a Plantation chiropractor, diagnosed her with "text neck," a condition he sees in more and more teenagers.
Hours spent texting, working on laptops and playing video games with the neck flexed forward create the problem, he says.
The repetitive motion can alter a normal cervical spine, which has a reversed C curve. When that curve is lost or reversed, it puts undo pressure on the spine, irritating the muscles, nerves and joints.
That can speed up spine degeneration, says Beth Cooper, an Oakland Park chiropractor who also sees teens with neck problems. "It's like your tires wearing out," she says.
Text neck can result in everything from neck and head aches to pain radiating into the shoulders and arms.
"I had this pain in my neck that wasn't horrible, but it still hurt," Bradley says. "I didn't know it could happen from looking down constantly."
To avoid the problem, both Fishman and Cooper advise sitting up straight and bringing your hand-held tech devices up to eye level. Cooper suggests yoga-like stretches. Fishman suggests doing exercises to strengthen the neck.
Full story
Published: 2009-11-02 22:18:54
Author: Liz Doup | South Florida Sun-Sentinel | October 25, 2009
Like lots of teens, Meghan Bradley, 17, of Coral Springs texts about as much as she talks. But her 50 to 200 daily texts became a pain in the neck. Physically.
Dean Fishman, a Plantation chiropractor, diagnosed her with "text neck," a condition he sees in more and more teenagers.
Hours spent texting, working on laptops and playing video games with the neck flexed forward create the problem, he says.
The repetitive motion can alter a normal cervical spine, which has a reversed C curve. When that curve is lost or reversed, it puts undo pressure on the spine, irritating the muscles, nerves and joints.
That can speed up spine degeneration, says Beth Cooper, an Oakland Park chiropractor who also sees teens with neck problems. "It's like your tires wearing out," she says.
Text neck can result in everything from neck and head aches to pain radiating into the shoulders and arms.
"I had this pain in my neck that wasn't horrible, but it still hurt," Bradley says. "I didn't know it could happen from looking down constantly."
To avoid the problem, both Fishman and Cooper advise sitting up straight and bringing your hand-held tech devices up to eye level. Cooper suggests yoga-like stretches. Fishman suggests doing exercises to strengthen the neck.
Full story