Using long-term phones may increase neck and upper back pain

NEW DELHI: To using long -term the cell phone for kids or anybody may be cause of neck and upper back pain. As the new study has found that the long-term use of smartphones may increase the risk of neck, disk hernias and alignment problems. The findings, indicated that in a neutral position looking forward, the head weighs about 4.5 to 5.4 Kg and at a 15-degree flex, it feels like 12 kgs. The stress on the spine increases by degree, and at 60 degrees, it is 27 kgs. The study co-author Dr. Todd Lanman, a spinal neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said, "In an X-ray, the neck typically curves backward and what we`re seeing is that the curve is being reversed as people look down at their phones for hours each day.` The impact on the spine increases at higher flexed postures, they added, reports Mail online. The researchers suggested simple lifestyle changes to relieve the stress from the `text neck` posture. They recommend holding cell phones in front of the face, or near eye level, while texting. They also suggest using two hands and two thumbs to create a more symmetrical and comfortable position for the spine. Beyond smartphone use, the spinal surgeons recommend that people who work at computers or on tablets use an elevated monitor stand so it sits at a natural horizontal eye level. While sitting, he recommends aligning the neck and spine by checking that the ears are over the shoulders and the shoulders are over the hips.