What the Research Says
In a study conducted by Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, Chief of Spine Surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, it was found that as the human head tilts forward the forces seen by the neck surge. When we hold our head in a healthy, neutral position, the forces to the cervical spine are about 10-12 pounds. But look what happens when we tilt our head forward:
This graph from the study described above shows the effects of the tilt that accompanies cell phone use.
Repetitive increases in stress of this nature may lead to all sorts of neck problems, including early wear and tear, degeneration, and possibly the need for surgery.
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What You Can Do to Avoid the Slump
The following are my simple and easy tips for eliminating the smart phone slump and avoiding these negative side effects:
1. Hold Your Phone at Eye Level
Hold your phone at eye level when typing on your phone. This may look funny, but it will force you to hold your head, neck, and shoulders in a better position.
My favorite thing about holding the phone at eye level is that it has a built-in time restricting feature, and not to mention a slight embarrassment factor. As in: you will notice when you hold your phone at eye level your shoulder muscles tire quickly, and it just looks funny.
This will force you to only use your phone for short periods of time.
2. Lie on the Floor
If you are at home or in a setting where you feel comfortable being on the floor, then lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
3. Voice to Text
If your phone has a voice transcription feature, learn how to use it and talk your text messages, social media posts, and emails. This may take a little time to get accustomed to, but your neck, shoulders, and back will thank you.
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