Smartphone users who suffer from “tech neck,” a condition caused by looking down at screens for long periods of time, can be at risk for early-onset spinal degeneration and other problems if their poor posture is not corrected, experts warn. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
As medical concerns mount over chronic pain among young smartphone users dubbed “tech neck,” experts are calling for new measures to counteract the phenomenon, which they warn can potentially lead to early-onset spinal problems.
The warnings come as a growing body of scientific literature points to an association between excessive or addictive smartphone use and physical and musculoskeletal strains, such as tech neck — caused when users hold their heads forward for prolonged periods while scrolling and texting, leading to cervical spine problems and pain.
For instance, new findings published this month in the International Journal of Environmental Sciences is adding to those concerns with evidence that “forward head posture,” as well as shoulder mobility problems, are “significantly” associated with heavy smartphone use among college-aged young people in India.
Forward head posture, or FHP, is a common condition in which the head is flexed forward relative to the neck. Holding the head in this position for long periods of time puts significant strain on the spine, sometimes triggering hyperextension of the upper cervical spine and flexion of the lower cervical spine.
Other musculoskeletal disorders such as neck pain, headache and masticatory dysfunction –problems chewing food — also are associated with FHP.
Meanwhile, an editorial published Oct. 10 in the European Spine Journal penned by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago labeled tech neck a “silent pandemic that is reshaping our spine.”
Their review of the existing evidence suggests that children may now be at higher risk for cervical disc degeneration, and that both youngsters and adults could be more prone to related conditions such as disc herniations, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, cervical myelopathy, radiculopathies and spondylolisthesis due to hours of staring down at smartphone screens.
Noting that neck pain already is classified by Global Burden of Disease studies as the fourth-leading cause of years lived with a disability, the authors warned that given the accelerating pace of “addictive” smartphone usage — especially among teens and young adults — the situation will only worsen without widescale intervention.
“If measures are not taken to mitigate this tech neck phenomena, we will ultimately see the development of early-onset spinal degeneration, malalignment and pain development that may plague individuals across the lifespan and lend to a panacea of socioeconomic consequences that will impact every population globally,” they wrote, while urging corrective measures such as “optimizing” workstation setup and postural education programs.
The editorial’s authors did not respond to requests for comment. However, other experts generally agreed that tech neck is a mounting problem that is already causing undesirable consequences.
Dr. James Harrop, a neurosurgeon, researcher and professor of neurological surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, told UPI he agrees that in general “there will be higher incidence of people with neck pain” due to the increased musculoskeletal strains of smartphone usage.
This is due, he said, to technological advances racing out ahead of human physical evolution. In this case, he noted, bodies have evolved so that for every inch of forward head posture there is an estimated 10-pound increase in weight that must be supported by the cervical spine and surrounding musculature.
At 15 degrees of forward tilt, the force on the spine increases to 27 pounds, while a 60-degree tilt exerts up to 60 pounds of force.
“Unfortunately, with leaning forward, there are greater stresses on our posterior neck muscles during cell phone usage,” Harrop said. “Technology advancement and improvements have created a new trend for us all, staring down into our laps and using our cellphones. Thus, necks have not adapted to meet these new needs overall.”
But he also noted there are wide differences among individuals, some of whom have spines that more easily absorb the pressure of forward head posture. He also expressed faith that educational efforts can succeed in mitigating the damage.
“There are many societies and organizations informing people about this potential threat and attempting to build up people’s posterior neck musculature,” he said. “In addition, having younger individuals exercise the neck muscles at an earlier age potentially could be positive in that they further build up these muscles for the future.”
One of the groups working to educate smartphone users about better head posture is the National Spine Health Foundation. Lindsay Orosz, the group’s director of research, told UPI that children are especially at risk from the tech neck phenomenon.
“Children are skeletally immature — they are still growing — so they are the most vulnerable to developing alignment issues as they grow,” Orosz said.
“The spine curves naturally in different directions. If, for many hours, the spine is in a ‘neck down’ alignment, which is the opposite of the normal ‘chin up’ position, then the risk of developing alignment issues and early degenerative issues increases.
“Anecdotally, I tell my kids that if their chin is touching their chest, then it is ‘very wrong,'” she added. “They should always be able to fit at least four fingers between their chin and chest.”
When the suspected connection between neck problems and heavy smartphone use first began to surface several years ago, the foundation rolled out a public awareness campaign dubbed “Look Up to Prevent Neck Pain” and issued a series of tips to counteract the problems.
Those include suggestions to look up from your devices frequently and set timers to remind yourself to move regularly; keep your head stacked over your spine and holding devices at eye level; relieve disc pressure by combining good lumbar support and lean seats back at a 25-degree angle; and practice neck, back and core strengthening exercises regularly.
