Our cell phones and tablets have transformed the
way we hold our bodies—and not for the better. Looking down at your
device is like having a 60-pound weight on your neck, according to 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, The Atlantic points
out.
Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, chief of spinal surgery at New York Spine
Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine, developed the virtual model
above. It turns out that moving your head forward and having 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.
Dr. Hansraj’s paper, published in Surgical Technology International (which is worthy of skepticism due to an impact factor of 0, but which does seem to have a competent editorial staff) ,
notes that good posture is related to having your ears aligned with the
shoulders and your shoulder blades back. This lowers body stress and
decreases cortisol. Poor posture, on the other hand, stresses the spine
and can lead to early wear and tear, and maybe lead to surgery.
A few solutions: hold your phone straight in front of you instead of
bending your head down, try to place your tablet at a 30 degree
angle when typing or tapping (the angle protects your wrists) or at a
right angle if just reading, and stretch your neck back to correct a
forward neck posture.
