Could Cell Phone Use Be Hurting Your Posture?

Since cell phones have become such a large part of our lives, much of the world has changed drastically. Everything we could possibly need to communicate with our family and friends is right at our fingertips. There are applications we can use for everything from games to news to photography and more.

Add in internet capabilities and the ease of which we can access our favorite websites from the palm of our hand, and we have one of the most life-changing devices seen in recent years. So what could be wrong with these convenient and easy to use mobile devices that are such a large part of our day-to-day lives?

Cell Phones and your Posture

While there are many great things about cell phones, they also come with their own negative consequences. The more we use cell phones, the greater the decline in our posture, which causes our musculoskeletal health to suffer. When you’re commuting home from work or strolling the aisles in the grocery store, what do you see? Many people are hunched over their phones with a ducked head, craned neck, and rounded shoulders. Or they are cradling their phone between their neck and shoulder, causing strain to the neck. This posture does not bode well for long term musculoskeletal health and the shoulders, neck, and spine all work together to bring us the best posture possible.

Looking down at your cell phone for a long period of time can result in significant problems for your neck, even to the point where your neck bones mold themselves into a curved layout. Over time, this causes extreme harm as the human head is very heavy. That combined with the malformation of the neck vertebra can cause muscle strain and weakness, and an inability to keep the head in the correct position.

Correct Your Posture

Proper posture includes keeping your head up, chin down, and shoulder blades back, thus creating symmetry in the body. There are a number of exercises we can suggest to strengthen back muscles leading to better posture. We can provide you with more information as well as perform spinal adjustments to correct the positioning of the spine.

By completing these exercises and reducing the amount of time spent on our cell phones, we can improve our overall musculoskeletal health and prevent significant issues from developing. It may not be easy to spend less time on your phone, but with these tips (and maybe a digital detox), you will be on your way to maintaining a healthy spine!