Texting, Forward Head Posture & Neck Pain
Posted by Kayleen HIcks on Fri, May 20, 2011 @ 02:22 PM
photo credit: Google Images
When walking out the door of my apartment, I send a text to my friends to tell them I am on the way. I send a text to my mother to tell her I will call her later when I have time. I send a text to my boss saying I received her email and will be in tomorrow. I am a part of a generation that prefers texting as the top form of quick and easy communication. I am also a part of a generation whose health is being impacted by this type of communication without even realizing it.
Of all the rapid technological advancements in Communications in the last 20 years, none have affected our day-to-day communication patterns as much as the invention of mobile text messaging. Americans are obsessed with text messaging. According to information from the 2009 Census (the numbers are surely larger now), Americans sent 110 billion text messages in December 2008 alone, more than double the amount sent in the same month a year earlier. Texting has always been a popular communication tool for teenagers, but now texting is becoming more of a trend and a necessity with adults and in the workplace.
Texting may be a convenient and easy way to communicate, but it has implications for health because it reverses the normal C-curve of the cervical spine, causing neck pain and what is known as “Forward Head Posture” or “FHP” for short. According to the Mayo Clinic, forward head posture leads to “long term muscle strain, disc herniation and pinched nerves”. Neck pain is almost as common as back pain in our society, and young people are experiencing neck pain this early because of texting. This is commonly referred to as “text neck”. Forward head posture increases the weight of the head on the spine, causing abnormal leverage. According to Dr. Roger Sperry, a Nobel Prize recipient for brain research, this affects the way your brain can function. “When you have forward head posture, your brain will rob energy from your thinking, metabolism, and immune function to deal with abnormal gravity/posture relationships and processing”. For a generation of texters, this information is scary.
With more smart phones being developed every day, texting is surely a form of communication that will continue to grow, so we must be aware of the effects of Forward Head Posture and how to combat it. Enter PILLO1, the newest revolutionary neck pillow design invented by renowned Chiropractor Physician Dr. Raymond Hall, who simply wanted to find a daily (nightly) treatment to restore the natural health of the spine. PILLO1’s unique design helps reestablish and strengthen the C-curve of the cervical spine while sleeping. This restorative sleep, combined with an effort to avoid FHP during the day, can help the spine realign. So the next time you are walking around glued to your mobile phone be aware of your head posture, it just might save you some pain.
As part II of this important blog series, look for the next blog that will be Dr. Hall’s easy, effective and informative test to determine if you have Forward Head Posture and his advice on how to reduce neck pain. Look for “Dr. Hall’s Test for FHP” in the next couple of days. BRB!