No doubt a recent health buzzword has been coining the term “text neck” in reference to individuals who experience poor posture from spending endless hours staring down at their mobile phones. Research has shown us that this is one of the most dangerous activities that our spine can experience on a daily basis. It has progressed to the point where it is not uncommon to see adults and even children suffering from the effects of chronic headaches, neck pain, muscle tightness and shoulder discomfort.
Constant and repetitve forward head tilt slowly changes the integrity of cervical spine joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. These spinal changes can result in early onset spinal degeneration (i.e Arthritis), chronic back pain, diminished lung capacity, and reduced sensation and mobility in the arms. It has been estimated that for every degree the head is tilted forward it causes an additional 500 grams of pressure that is sustained by the spinal column. Take for example a common head tilt position of 60-degrees that is seen with mobile phone users. This equates to 30 kilograms of spine pressure. I dare you to attempt placing a 30 kilogram dumbbell on your head and see how you feel afterwards!
Dr. Melissa Crago (Chiropractor) explains that you should take a moment to examine the people around you. Look at their posture, do they move with freedom and appear comfortable? Do they have rounded shoulders, a rounded mid-back and an awkward looking position of the head? While not all individuals who suffer from cervical spine kyphosis have poor posture there’s no doubt that it’s much more common in this group of people.
Chiropractic management is one of the best solutions for treating spinal damage and joint problems like cervical spine kyphosis. In a study (which I’ve included below) a group of fifteen participants underwent specific Chiropractic treatment for abnormal cervical spine posture. Following the treatment period it was found that the average improvement in cervical spine angle was 10 degrees. All of sudden that weight on your shoulders doesn’t feel anywhere near as heavy! For a more in-depth look at this paper, please click here.