Chiropractors Warning Against a Condition Called ‘Text Neck’

According to a new report from the CBC, Chiropractors are starting to warn people over an alarming condition which they call “text neck.” The condition is caused by people repeatedly moving their heads up and down to look at their smartphones.

Chiropractor Krista Revenberg said that the simple act of putting your neck down to look at your phone when you text puts about 30 kilograms of pressure on your spine. In a statement, she said:

“It can lead to pain and chronic tissue tightness. The biggest thing is that a lot of people don’t even notice it’s happening. They get in that position and they’ll be in it all day long,  it becomes more of your norm. You’re not even realizing the changes that are happening.”

Revenberg said that as the number of Canadians who own a smartphone increases, “text neck” also increases. She said that she sees patients of all ages that are suffering from this condition, so she has offered some suggestions to avoid text neck:

• Take a break
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule, looking 20 feet ahead for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
• Take a break from the position you’re in. Change your position.
• Stretch