Chennai: You do not have to work out hard to get neck pain; just working on computers or scrolling through social media on your phone is enough to cause bone-related ailments. Experts in the city state that youngsters are complaining of frozen neck and aching backs, which when ignored causes ‘text neck.’
Now you can stop bragging about your PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) or Clash of Clans achievements. The online games have caught the attention of several critics and the Gujarat government has even imposed a ban on PUBG in schools.
“Without being intentional, people strain forward when they use mobile phones which causes excessive strain on neck bones. The force exerted on the bones due to weight of the head becomes exponentially more. The consequence is text neck. It occurs in persons having neck pain,” stated Parvathy Hospital consultant orthopedic and limb reconstruction surgeon, Dr K Naresh Kumar.
He went on to elaborate about the odd posture that gives rise to such conditions. For the sake of comfort, people are used to adjust their seating position. However, he points out that the weight of the head would not be balanced if a person bends forward or leans backward. “Ears should be aligned with the shoulders that maintain the head’s position which does not strain the neck bones.”
Studies have been carried out parallelly to understand the syndrome and the doctor said it predominantly affects youngsters and adults using gadgets. Doctors state that it can also be considered as a precursor to cervical spondylosis.
“The intervertebral disc begins to degenerate over the years when the bone is subjected to tremendous pressure. When the condition becomes intense, it leads to cervical spondylosis,” the doctor explained.
However, it is not just the neck that gets impacted, but the hands, too. Consider yourself an expert in clacking through the keys in a jiffy, it is time to think about your fingers. ‘Smartphone thumb’ is the conditions that people should be wary of, they say.
“The muscles begin to shorten if utilised repetitively for a long time which is known as ‘overuse syndrome’. One of the entities is smartphone thumb where the tendons become tight,” Dr Naresh said.
While the cases were reported in large numbers in the US that has reduced due to awareness, the expert opined that incidences are increasing in India and people being ignorant of it could lead to severe problems.
“Though it is not specifically restricted to a particular strata, the patients with neck pain I have received thus far are people who work on computers for a long time,” said the doctor and emphasised on intervening right when the initial symptom of neck pain occurs.
| DO IT YOURSELF |
| Is there a way out other than cutting down on use of the gadgets? Dr Naresh Kumar suggests some simple exercises that you can do where you are:* Sit up erect- maintaining same position causes strain on back bone * Ensure devices are at eye-level- the screen should be levelled with eyebrows and chair tipped slightly forward so that the knees are slightly higher than your hips * Using chair with headrest- ensure you head stays in contact with the headrest while you sit. * Stretch your neck by doing chin tuck. Move your chin towards your chest, holding for five seconds. Repeat 10 times. * Tilt your head to the right, bringing your ear close to the shoulder, you may use your hand to pull your head farther into the stretch. Hold 20 seconds. Bring your head back to the centre, and repeat the same on the left side. Do it for 3-5 times on each side. * Rotate your chin towards your right shoulder, hold 20 seconds. You may use your hand to push your head farther into the stretch. Bring your head back to the centre, and repeat the same on the left side. Repeat 3-5 times on each side. |