Cell Phone Texting Can Cause Neck Injuries

Have you ever heard of text neck? This is a relatively recent development. It follows on the heels of injuries that we have seen in the chiropractic office such as Wii elbow. Some of our modern technologies have the ability to cause injuries.

The injuries from the Wii were not caused by the device itself. It was due to the movement of the person while using the remote control of the Nintendo Wii. Complaints of pain in the elbow were followed by the description of what they were doing.

It is usually an exaggerated motion of the arm such as swinging too hard was the cause. Treatment may consist of realignment of the elbow. If there is a strain type injury, rest is required. Taping of the elbow joint can also be useful in these cases. Try to find a chiropractor that adjusts extremities to have the elbow and wrist joints properly examined. The shoulder can also be involved.

Texting has also been presenting injuries. Texting, if you are one of the few without a smart phone, is a way to type messages back and forth using a cell phone. The largest number of users of cell phones and texting are teenagers. Significant injuries are starting to appear in the chiropractor's office.

Your head should be aligned directly over your shoulders. If your head is forward from that alignment it is called forward head carry. For each inch that your head is forward it places about 25 pounds more of stress on the neck and spine. This increases the likelihood of injury to the spine and stresses the low back.

Teenagers can text for long periods and often. This can decrease the curve in the neck. A reversal of the neck curve can occur if this is not treated by a chiropractor. The discs begin to feel pressure on the front which can lead to disc damage.

Sitting at the computer is still the most common cause of forward head carry. Texting and the use of cell phones for games and other activities is starting to become a major contributor of neck injuries. To find out if your posture is correct, it's best to have a computerized postural exam performed.

Periodic re-exams will determine if the treatments are correcting the forward head carry. Sometimes traction may be necessary to perform postural re-training. That is, reshaping of the neck curve to its' proper position. Exercises and stretches may be prescribed to increase range of motion or strengthen the area. Many of our modern conveniences can be harmful to the body if overused.