Pages

Thursday 15 January 2015

Is your mobile phone ruining your posture?


Mobile phones and tablets have transformed our postures, causing unnecessary back pain. Looking down at your device is like having a 60-pound weight on your neck, according to Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, a spine surgeon.

'That's like having an eight-year old sitting on your head while you're standing trying to read your text messages...'
This Is What Looking Down at Your Cell Phone Does to Your Spine

Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, developed the computer model above.

Moving your head forward with that amount of force on your neck and spine isn't good for your health—and the average person spends two to four hours a day in this position. Poor posture stresses the spine and can lead to early wear, tear, generation, and maybe surgery.

According to Dr. Hansraj's paper, published in the Surgical Technology International journal,  good posture is having your ears aligned with the shoulders and your shoulder blades back. This lowers body stress and decreases cortisol.

To avoid hurting your back, hold your phone straight in front of you instead of bending your head down, place your tablet at a 30 degree angle when typing or tapping (the angle protects your wrists) or more perpendicularly if just reading, and stretch your neck back to correct a forward neck posture.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Tell Us Your Views