How Does Using Your Phone Cause Poor Posture and Pain?

Scrolling through your social media feed with your head down, long after your coffee has gone cold, and for far longer and more frequently than we care to admit could be a major contributing factor to causing you pain. If you experience neck, shoulder, or back pain from periods of poor posture while looking down at screens, help is not far away. City Physiotherapy can assist in treating the many issues associated with poor posture and the use of digital devices, and eliminate the likelihood of future issues.

Why is proper posture so important?

The way you hold your body is an essential aspect in supporting your long term health and wellbeing. Making a concerted effort to develop healthy postural habits is not only beneficial in improving your physical wellbeing, but it can also protect you from the potential of future injuries.

The most integral aspect of maintaining a good posture is the spine. The spinal cord has three natural curves which appear at the neck, the mid-upper back, and lower back. Proper posture should maintain the proper alignment of these natural curves. 

There is no perfect posture, only the posture that best fits your body mechanics and best allows you to maintain a healthy body. That is why booking an appointment with one of our experienced physical therapists is so beneficial. We work closely with you to develop a plan for posture that provides the most benefit according to your biomechanics.

Posture while using your phone

The time we spend on our phones is steadily increasing. Poor postural habits can lead to ongoing discomfort, pain, or in some cases even more severe health issues.

A common poor postural habit that can occur during smartphone use is forward head posture (FHP). FHP is the hyperextension of the neck’s upper cervical vertebrae and forward translation of the neck’s cervical vertebrae. Overextending your head can lead to:

• Increased tension in your shoulder and/or neck muscles
• Headaches 
• Pain in your neck, arms, chest and/or shoulders

Over time, a continued FHP can lead to far more serious complications such as musculoskeletal disorders and chronic pain.

What is forward head posture?

The most common problem from poor posture while using a device is neck pain. The forward pronunciation of the position of the head for extended periods of time is called forward head posture (FHP), it is otherwise colloquially referred to as text neck, tech neck or nerd neck. It puts a significantly increased compressive force through the neck joints, and also significantly increases muscle tension. 

Pain and discomfort are far from uncommon with those who maintain this poor postural habit. Moreover, the dysfunction in posture happens to be quite common too, with estimates calculating upwards of 70% of the population.  Students and young adults are particularly afflicted with this postural disorder.

The distribution of pain or discomfort can be dependent on how you use your phone. For example, if you use both hands, you are more likely to have pain distributed somewhat evenly across both sides of your neck or upper back. While if you only use one hand more severe pain can develop on that side. This is because you are needing to strain those muscles far more.

How to best combat text neck

Reposition your device

Find somewhere that allows you to sit or stand comfortably using your phone without putting stress on your neck or upper body. A general tip is to keep your device at eye level, to maintain a neutral position more consistently.

Take regular breaks

Your static posture is when you hold your body in a fixed position. All your muscles need to work together to maintain this. When starting to develop better postural habits, you might find it difficult to consistently correct your forward head posture. 

To avoid fatigue or prevent reverting to poor habits, take a short break every 30 minutes. Continuous and repetitive movements such as typing, or swiping can compound the detrimental effects of poor posture. 

Exercise

In general, keeping active is paramount to maintaining your wellbeing. Moreso, taking up yoga or Pilates can help to strengthen your core muscles (torso and pelvis) which is beneficial when seeking to correct your posture.

Put aside at least 10 minutes every day to do some light stretches, these will help prevent the build-up of tightness that often comes with sedentary jobs and lifestyles. In particular: neck rotations, side bending, and chin tuck exercises can be helpful in relieving acute symptoms of text neck, and can prevent future symptoms from arising.

Remedial Massage & Physiotherapy

Everybody’s pain can manifest in different areas. Remedial massage & Physiotherapy is used to identify injured and tense parts of the body, going on to provide a specific treatment accordingly.

For more severe cases please don’t hesitate to book an appointment so we can get you started on a personalised treatment before the problem gets any worse.

City Physio is dedicated to seeing you improve your wellbeing. Our experienced physiotherapists can perform a flexibility assessment as well as design a program of exercises and stretches tailored and targeted to improve your flexibility in the areas you need it most. Call our friendly reception on 8212 4886, or click the book online button below for a same-day appointment.

BACK TO BLOG