Photo via Shutterstock
Woman looking at phone
People of all ages rely on their smartphones for so many things—communication, connection to the Internet, photos, games, and more. And though these devices often make our lives easier, using them too much can come with a cost.
Chiropractors see it frequently: patients who have spinal damage from too much phone time. The most common position we take when using our smartphones is looking down with the chin pointed toward the chest, often for hours each day.
Dr. Scott Oswald, a chiropractor and assistant professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University who specializes in sports medicine and rehabilitation, regularly treats patients with strained necks related to smartphone use.
While looking at your phone periodically is no problem, “it’s the repetition of it,” says Oswald. “We’re spending two to six hours a day on our smartphones, and we’re adopting a position of looking down, day in and day out. That starts to add up. The tissues are compromised and because we’re doing it on a daily basis, they don’t have a chance to heal.”
Neck and back damage occur because the weight of our heads—an average of 10 pounds for adults—balances on the spine. Though the spine’s natural curve acts like a spring and shock absorber, the weight of our noggin doubles every inch our chins move forward and down. “If the load becomes excessive, the muscles that hold and maintain the head in a neutral position become strained and have micro trauma,” Oswald explains.
This strain has a cascading effect on upper back muscles as they struggle to support overworked neck muscles. Pain also can gravitate to the shoulders, down the arms, and to the fingers because trouble at the top of the spine often spreads down to other vertebrae, which are linked together like a chain, he adds.
To prevent smartphone-related troubles, try some of Oswald's suggestions:
- Don’t spend long periods of time looking down at your phone. As much as possible, hold your head up and bring the phone up to eye level.
- If you must look down to use your phone, take frequent breaks or shift positions to give your neck and back a rest.
- Frequently stretch your neck muscles and try to build endurance with chin tucking and other exercises.
- For persistent pain, consider trying acupuncture, massage, chiropractic treatment, or a combination of these therapies to alleviate discomfort and return the spine to alignment.
“Like most conditions, people respond differently to different treatments, so figure out what is best for you,” says Oswald. “Generally it’s a combination of things that helps. There is no one magic pill.”
The Northwestern Health Clinic Bloomington provides chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, naturopathic medicine, and physical therapy services.
See more content from Northwestern Health Sciences University.
Sign up for our Be Well newsletter to get the latest health and wellness coverage.
