Dr. Gregory Johnson - Houston Chiropractor - Text Neck Treatment
Illustration from by Kenneth K. Hansraj, MD, Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head, Surgical Technology International
We live in a society where people are hooked on modern gadgets and technology (computers, cell phones, tablets and gaming devices) that are causing serious problems with the spine as it gets subjected to cummulative trauma by being bent forward with our heads looking down frequently and for extended hours. These have created the modern spine condition we now call Text Neck. Dr. Gregory Johnson, your Houston Chiropractor, has also coined another term for this new condition, Tech Spine, because the techy phenomena not only affects the neck but also the rest of the spine, from the skul down to the pelvis and even into the hips, knees ankles and feet. The neck and back pain is only the beginning of troubles assoicated with Forward Head Posture (FHP). The vertebrae when misaligned, pinches on the nerves which exit between the vertebrae (Vertebral Subluxation Complex), causing abnormal nerve supply to our organs, muscles, tissues and cells and creating abnormal function in those organs.

Tech Spine or Text Neck is Fast Becoming an Epidemic

You may not have heard of these new spine conditions, but you could already be one of the millions of American gadget users who are already afflicted with this tech spine or text neck. According to a study conducted by New York-based back surgeon, Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, the angle at which you hold your head when using your mobile phone affects your cervical spine and can result in a condition we now call text neck. The human head is estimated to weigh about twelve pounds. As we bend our head forward and down, the head’s weight on the cervical spine increase. At a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it’s 60 pounds.

Digital Age Health Issues

The digital age brings about numerous benefits and creative ways of working and communicating with people. However, it also results in new set of health issues, such as tech spine and text neck. These new conditions are generally caused when too much pressure is placed on the neck or spine due to bad postures people find themselves into when using gadgets and mobile devices. On average, mobile phone users spend an estimated 2-4 hours daily using their mobile devices.
“The text neck results from the spine’s repeated exposure to compromising postures and physical stress caused by extended use of mobile phones, tablets, gaming devices and laptop,” comments Dr. Gregory Johnson, a leading Houston Chiropractor with nearly four decades of chiropractic experience and expertise. treating neck, back and spine conditions. Extended hours of compromised posture negatively impacts the cervical spine and all the supporting ligaments and tendons, muscles, bones and the nervous system as well. The postural changes are also being directly linked to some neurological issues, such as headache and spinal degeneration.

Chiropractic Care for Tech Spine and Text Neck

This new condition must not be undermined and should be addressed as soon as possible withchiropractic care, before it causes permanent damage to the spine. Dr. Johnson recommends visiting a chiropractor for non-surgical and all-natural intervention to manipulate the spine and correct the posture. If left untreated, tech spine and text neck can result in permanent spine damage, debilitating pain or trigger early onset of arthritis.
Related Blog Article
November 7th, 2015|back pain, neck pain, safe chiropractic care, spine health|