Is Your Cell Phone Killing Your Spine?

In today’s ever changing technological world, our lives must be getting simpler with all of the cool new gadgets that we own.  Did you realize that the average house owns 2.5 cell phones and 1.25 Ipods?  How about the new netbooks and the cool looking Ipads that Apple came out with.

While all of these products are uber-cool, there is one drawback…they are tiny.  I mean crazy small.  If you have a current smart phone your screen is about 3.5″ across.  Try watching a music video on that.  How about spending a half hour checking and responding to email on your netbook.  The screen is tiny, the keyboard is tiny and you have to spend a ton of time hunched over to use it.

The problem with these devices is how you have to use them.  Let’s say you have a typical teen that sends 50-60 texts per day.  Have you ever watched them actually do this.  They hold the phone pretty much in their lap and text away.  Pay particular attention to their head and shoulders…head looking down and shoulders slouched look familiar?

When you bend your head forward, the position necessary to look down at your phone, you are taking the curve out of your neck.  This curve is crucial.  Research has shown that reducing the curve in your neck can lead to a whole host of problems, the least of which are pain and tension in the shoulders and neck.

If you or your teen are spending a ton of time on the phone texting, please raise the phone up closer to shoulder level, allowing your head to be in a more neutral position, thus protecting that curve in your neck.