Forward head posture, or “Text Neck,” can cause nerve pain or lead to metabolic problems, doctors say.
Chances are you’re reading this while leaning over a table or slumped back in a chair. Your head is tilted forward; your shoulders are curved. If you’re on a mobile device, your arms are bent by your side and your back hunch is even more profound.
Am I right?
The position you’re in is probably causing you pain, whether you’re aware of it yet or not. The headaches, neck cricks and achy shoulders are being diagnosed as “Text Neck.”
Text Neck is not just a texting problem- it’s a gaming problem and/or an e-mailing problem as well. It is mostly seen in young teens, as they sit hunched over studying, reading, texting away.
The average human head weighs 10 pounds in a neutral position — when your ears are over your shoulders. For every inch you tilt your head forward, the pressure on your spine doubles. So if you’re looking at a smartphone in your lap, your neck is holding up what feels like 20 or 30 pounds.
All that extra pressure puts a strain on your spine and can pull it out of alignment. Staying in what experts call the “forward head posture” can lead to muscle strain, disc herniations and pinched nerves. Over time, it can even flatten or reverse the natural curve of your neck.
As your mother used to say: Be careful or it might stay like that.
According to the research 8- to 18-year-olds spend an average of seven and a half hours using “entertainment media” every day.
Not only does forward head posture cause nerve pain, it can also create metabolic problems. Try to take a deep breath in a slumped position. Now sit up straight and try again. Experts say slouching can reduce the capacity of your lungs by as much as 30%.
A lack of oxygenated blood flowing through the body can potentially lead to vascular disease. And gastrointestinal problems can be caused by pressure placed on the organs in a bad posture.