The Effect of Cell Phone Use on Your Neck and Fingers

Xotinko A Orlando Orthopædic Center THE EFFECTS OF | CELL PHONE USE ON THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM Cellular phones have changed the way we interact with each But as we continue to look to our phones for more information and updates, it may be taking a toll on the human body, specifically our musculoskeletal system. other and the world around us. THE FACTS As of January 2014: 90% 42% 32% of American adults own a cell phone of American adults own a tablet computer of American adults own an e-reader Women college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cellphones The top average cell phone activity for both sexes broken down by minute PER DAY: Men college students spend nearly 8 hours a day on their cellphones Texting 94.6 minutes Checking Emails 48.5 minutes Facebook 38.6 minutes Surfing the Internet 34.4 minutes Listening to Music 26.9 minutes U.S. smartphone owners aged 18 to 24 send 2,022 texts per month on average 67 texts on a daily basis and receive another 1,831. THE ISSUES Spine •0 degress 5.5 kg or 12 pounds 15 degress 12 kg or 22 pounds 30 degress 18 kg or 30 pounds • 45 degress 22 kg or 49 pounds 60 degress 27 kg or 60 pounds A recent study in the journal Surgical Technology International quantified the problem showing the added pressure cell phone use adds to our necks: 111 58% OF AMERICAN ADULTS WHO OWN SMARTPHONES ARE AT RISK FOR “TEXT NECK" (poor posture as a result of continual cell phone use leading to early wear-and-tear on the spine, degeneration and even surgery) according to the Washington Post Text neck is the term used to describe the injuries and pain sustained from looking down at wireless devices for too long. The symptoms associated with text neck are: Chronic headaches Neck pain Shoulder pain Upper back pain Increased curvature of the spine. Hand and Wrist Each year, 3.8 million people complain of injuries resulting from text messaging, according to the nationwide survey by Virgin Mobile. Texting Thumb is a repetitive stress injury affecting the thumb and wrist. Goes by other names you may have heard of: De Quervain Tennis elbow syndrome (lateral epicondylitis) Carpal tunnel syndrome Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis) Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis) Pain and sometimes a popping sound are present on the outside of the thumb at or near the wrist. Texting Thumb is technically known as De Quervain's syndrome. When questioned, children often admit to having physical complaints during video game playing, for example, pain in the hands and wrists, back and neck. THE SOLUTION The solution for "text neck" and "text thumb" may seem simple: stop using your mobile device as much. Sometimes, though, we need to look at our phones for long periods of time. To help prevent injuries, follow the tips below as outlined by our orthopaedic experts. Treating Text Neck Hold your phone at eye level as much as possible or look down at your device without bending your neck Take breaks from your phones and laptops throughout the day Practice good office ergonomics Exercise: Stand in a doorway with Move your head from left to right several times. Use your hands to provide resistance and push your head against them, first forward and then backward. your arms extended and push your chest forward to strengthen the muscles for good posture. Treating Text Thumb Take breaks from your phones and laptops throughout the day Use your phone's voice-to-text feature to Try typing with a stylus to cut down on repetitive motion on your thumb(s) give your fingers a break Switch hands occasionally so one hand isn't continually doing all the work Place your phone on a table and type from there to decrease irritation Try not to use the same muscle for other activities (texting vs. playing a game) If the treatments above are unable to provide relief, consider scheduling an appointment with an orthopaedic specialist. HAND SPECIALISTS Lawrence S. Halperin, M.D. Alan W. Christensen, M.D. Michael D. Riggenbach, M.D. SPINE SPECIALISTS G. Grady McBride, M.D. Stephen R. Goll, M.D. Steven E. Weber, D.0O. to schedule your Call 407-254-2500 Same Day, Next Day appointment 6 Convenient Locations to Serve You: Downtown Orlando, Winter Park, Sand Lake, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Lake Nona Orlando Orhopedic www.OrlandoOrtho.com Center Sources: http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/ http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=145864 http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-number-of-texts-sent-2013-3 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/20/text-neck-is-becoming-an-epidemic-and-could-wreck-your-spine/ http://www.spine-health.com/blog/modern-spine-ailment-text-neck http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/22/text_injury/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16131744 http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-text-neck-20150404-story.html http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videos/new-technology-new-health-issues http://www.healthhype.com/how-to-prevent-texting-thumb-repetitive-strain-injury-rsi.htm