4 Steps To Prevent Smartphone Syndrome

In today’s culture, everyone seems to be constantly plugged into some device, be it a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Sedentary lifestyles inevitably result in thousands of hours spent with your body resembling a human question mark—head jutting forward, shoulders are rounding and stomachs getting closer to your knees.

A crick in the neck and upper shoulders can develop from over-stressing your neck muscles the day before, from awkward sleep positions, from harshly twisting or turning your head during exercise, from having Smartphone Syndrome posture, or from clocking hours of Quasimodo-like keyboard posture while hunching at your desk.

However, it’s important not to overlook the potential for Smartphone Syndrome—also known as Text Neck—a repetitive use injury that occurs to your upper back, neck muscles, forearms, wrists and hands caused by a combination of poor posture, excessive texting and smart phone use.

Did you know that for every inch the head moves forward in posture, it increases the weight of the head by a staggering 10 pounds? When a 12-pound head is held forward from the shoulders by only 3 inches, it causes 42 pounds of pressure on the neck and upper back muscles.

Rounded shoulders cause your upper back muscles to overstretch and tighten the chest muscles. This posture can potentially compress the brachial plexus, the network of nerves that originate in the neck and feed into the armpit region and down into the arms. A brachial plexus impingement can lead to a number of problems, ranging from numbness in the hands, to thoracic outlet syndrome or carpal tunnel–like symptoms.

Prevent Smartphone Syndrome in 4 Simple Steps:

STEP #1 

Instead of tilting your head down to the phone, bring the phone up to eye level. This will reduce your forward head posture that can strain your upper back and neck muscles.

STEP #2  

To save yourself from straining both your neck and forearms by holding your Smartphone to your ear, use ahands-free headset.

STEP #3 

Strengthen your neck and back using the Chin Tucks and Wall Angels.

The Chin Tuck exercise can help reverse forward-head posture by strengthening the neck muscles.

This exercise can be done sitting or standing. Start with your shoulders rolled back and down. While looking straight ahead, place two fingers on your chin, slightly tuck your chin and move your head back. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds and then release. Repeat 10 times.

Tip: The more of a double chin you create the better the results. If you’re in a parked car, try doing the Chin Tuck pressing the back of your head into the headrest for 3 to 5 seconds. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.

Wall Angels

Keep your feet about 4 inches away from the wall and maintain a slight bend in your knees.

Your glutes, spine and head should all be against the wall as you bring the shoulder blades together and squeeze, forming the letter “W” with your arms. Hold for 3 seconds.

STEP #4

Ask your massage therapist to spend a little more time on your upper back, neck, forearms, wrists and hands.