Warning: An entire generation of young people will have neck deformities due to smartphones

If a young person uses a smartphone from the age of 8, they may need cervical spine surgery by the age of 28 because the natural physiological curve has been "bent" backwards.

On the magazineThe SpineIt is clear that some patients, especially young patients who have never had back or neck problems, have been reported to have disc herniation and problems with the physiological curve of the spine.

“In X-rays, the cervical spine naturally curves backward relative to the lumbar spine, but what we see is that the natural curve of the neck is reversed, and that’s because we look at our phones for hours every day,” said study co-author Todd Lanman, MD, a spinal neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“When patients come to see me, they are in terrible pain and have disc problems.”

“The real concern is we don't know how this is going to affect kids who are using phones all day,” Lanman said.

In their study, Lanman and study co-author Dr. Jason Cuellar, a spine surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, pinpointed the reason: People tend to look down when using smartphones, especially when texting, compared to surfing the web or watching videos.

Previous research has also shown that people who keep their necks at 45 degrees have worse neck conditions than when they stand.

Experts say that the impact on the spine increases in bent positions. Because in a neutral position, the head weighs about 4.5-5.4kg. Then when tilted 15o, the head will weigh as much as 12kg and when tilted 60o, the head will weigh up to 27kg.

“For today’s cell phone users, will cell phone use at age 8 lead to surgery at age 28? In children whose spines are still growing but not developing, we can’t be sure what happens or whether it will lead to changes in conventional surgical procedures,” Lanman worries.

Simple tips to reduce neck strain

Lanman and Cuellar suggest simple lifestyle changes to reduce the stress on the posture that causes “text neck” from typing.

They recommend holding your phone at face level, or close to your eyes, while typing on your phone. They also suggest using two hands and two thumbs to type to create balance and a more comfortable position for your spine.

In addition to using smartphones, chiropractors also recommend that people who work on computers or tablets use a stand so that the screen is at natural eye level.

With laptops, they recommend a similar adaptation by using a separate keyboard and mouse so that the laptop screen is at eye level while still being efficient while in use.

“It is difficult to recommend a suitable posture for all smartphone users. If we raise the phone to eye level, we can avoid looking down, but it puts more pressure on the shoulders and arms that have to be raised,” said Gwanseob Shin of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (South Korea).

“A more practical recommendation might be to take frequent breaks or exercise to strengthen the neck and shoulder muscles,” Shin says.

“Some apps can give alarm signals when users are in a prolonged head-down position.”

Lanman recommends stretching and posture exercises. His exercises typically involve the patient lying in bed with the neck and head off the bed, pulling the neck back to restore the normal curve of the neck.

While sitting, Lanman recommends paying attention to your neck and spine by checking that your ears are in line with your shoulders and your shoulders are in line with your hips.

“Ask a friend to take a photo of your upper body while you're typing on your phone and then use that photo as your phone's background,” says Shin.

“This will remind you to take regular breaks. Even a short break of a few seconds helps your body's tissues recover.”

According to Dantri