Text neck!
Text neck syndrome! What is it?
Our Reco spinal centre team of Bristol chiropractors and spinal therapists are commonly being consulted by patients who are suffering from sore and achy neck pain, and it’s more common in the younger generation. so what could be causing this discomfort?
Phones, tablets and computers, such as I-pads and laptops, are now common everyday things that we are constantly staring down at. However, what many tablet users don’t realise is that these devices come with a unique set of ergonomic challenges, which are creating an onslaught of overuse injuries.
Our bristol chiropractor and spinal therapist team are seeing a growing number of patients with mobile phone and tablet-computer, laptop-related pain, particularly neck and shoulder pain. The good news is that researchers are beginning to look into how to prevent these disorders. Read on to learn the latest.
Prolonged neck flexion
Our bristol chiropractor Mandeep finds that prolonged neck flexion is the crux of most iPad and other tablet computer-related injuries. Essentially, neck flexion is bending the neck so that the chin is towards the chest. From an anatomical standpoint, this is an abnormal unnatural position.
Prolonged neck flexion may lead to a straightening, or even a reversal, of the normal curvature of the neck. This triggers a condition known as Vertebral misalignments where spinal bones (vertebrae) become slightly misaligned and stiff. Vertebral, misalignments of the neck are linked with a myriad of health problems ranging from headaches, neck pain and shoulder pain
Fortunately, the Bristol chiropractic team of spinal therapy is the perfect antidote for vertebral misalignments. The chiropractor and spinal therapists at Reco spinal centre use
gentle and safe manoeuvres called adjustments and manipulation to help with neck pain. A wealt
h of scientific research has deemed this approach highly effective.
Gaze angle
When it comes to tablet computers, the largest determinant of neck flexion is what ergonomic researchers term “gaze angle”.
Gave angle simply means the angle at which the tablet user’s eyes view the screen, a low gaze angle occurs when the tablet is placed on the user’s lap. A high glaze angle occurs when the tablet is placed on the table.
What can I do to prevent text neck?
- Hold the phone or tablet up to eye level
- Tuck the chin in towards the body slightly and keep the shoulder back and relaxed
- Try not to stay in the same position for prolonged periods
- Put a pillow on your chest and prop the phone on top. holding your head back.
How to relieve text neck?
At Reco spinal centre the team of bristol chiropractors and spinal therapists create a treatment plan specifically relevant to their clients. The tailored treatment plans include a combination of spinal manipulation/ therapy and corrective exercises to help treat text neck. If you have been struggling with text neck or want to seek help from our team click this link to book in with one of our top-rated practitioners!