Text messaging, video gaming, surfing the internet- with technology comes repetitive behaviors and body positioning that can have dramatic health consequences, not the least of which is a condition known as forward head posture (FHP). Across the United States younger generations are increasingly experiencing neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, and numbness in upper extremities. Doctors are finding that many of these patients have reversed cervical curve from FHP. This means that the spine in their neck is curving in the opposite direction.
Children are getting mobile phones at younger and younger ages due to affordable prices, and parents wanting to stay in touch. For most of today’s youth, texting is their primary mode of communication. In numerous studies, text messaging was reported to have addictive tendencies. Furthermore, it is the most addictive digital service because it develops a need to remain connected called "reachability". A recent survey shows that young people 8-18 years of age spend in excess seven and a half hours a day using some form of mobile media.
FHP can be very painful and can have a negative effect on your overall health. For every inch of forward head posture, it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds which puts additional strain on the neck, upper back, and shoulder muscles. This results in neck pain, upper back pain, headaches, and at times radiating pain down the arms. There has been a strong association between an increased forward head posture and decreased respiratory muscle strength. It can also result in the loss of vital capacity of the lungs by as much as 30%. This shortness of breath can lead to heart and blood vascular disease. The entire gastrointestinal system is affected; particularly the large intestine. Loss of good bowel peristaltic function and evacuation is a common effect of FHP. It can also reduce endorphin production which can cause an increase in discomfort and pain.
The effects of text messaging do not only cause FHP, but also it puts you at the greatest risk for suffering a serious car accident if you do it while driving. 28 percent of crashes (1.6 million a year) are attributable to talking/texting on cell phones while driving. Research suggests that cell phone sales are not going to suffer in the economic downturn, which means the problem is not going away. These conditions respond well with chiropractic treatment coupled with rehabilitation exercises. We can expect to see a large increase of medical and chiropractic conditions related to FHP in the next decade.
