Is your phone or tablet causing your pain?
Do you spend hours hunched over your phone, checking texts, tweets and emails?
Do you also suffer from neck and back pain?
If so, the two may well be related.
Humans were designed to stand upright. Yet in this modern world, too many of us spend our days with our heads slumped over for a simple reason: we’re staring at the screen of a smartphone or tablet.
Looking down at your device is like having a 60-pound weight on your neck. That’s four stone in weight – like having an eight-year old sitting on your head while you’re standing trying to read your text messages!
Our advice? Try to look at phones with a neutral spine and avoid tilting your head down for extended periods of time. Look down at your mobile devices by moving down with the eyes in favour of bending the neck. Good posture involves keeping one’s ears aligned with the shoulders.
A few solutions:
- Hold your phone or tablet in a better position – the more upright the device, the more upright your posture.
- If you are using your device for long periods, then consider sitting at the table.
- Always try and use a tablet stand, especially if using your device on a sofa or bed – many cases now have stands incorporated. Using a stand takes the strain off the hands and arms from having to hold the device.
- Finally, don’t forget to use all your fingers and not just your thumbs!