Are Text and Desk Neck Ruining Your Posture?
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Phones and computers have become almost essential for day to day life. They offer many different functions to make our lives just that extra little bit easier. The only challenge with them is how we use them. If we look at how much we actually use computers or electronic devices it can be really astounding.
Most people have to use a computer for work where some use is almost exclusively as well as their phones regardless if it is for work or personal reasons. It is safe to say that between phone and computer usage the average person spends 30-50 hours in front of a screen during the work week. That comes out to 25%-42% of all hours from Monday to Friday. That doesn’t include any time we spend on these devices on the weekend. Much like with a mattress or a car, if we are spending that large duration in one place or doing one thing we definitely want it to be comfortable.
Most people do not have the best ergonomics or posture when they are at a desk or on their phones. If we look at your head it usually weighs between 10 and 15 pounds. Each inch that our head comes forward adds another 10-15 pounds of pressure. The same thing happens with each 10 degrees when we look down. Functionally you might be able work in this position but it is probably just a matter of time before it becomes a problem. To put it in perspective if you have poor posture with bad ergonomics or use your phone the same way most people do your neck and shoulders have to hold up 40-75 pounds of force and sometimes more!!
Our neck, shoulders, and upper back can support that weight because most people do it all the time. The real issue is that the body wasn’t designed to have to bear that weight all the time. If you spend 25% to almost 50% of your time in a position where portions of our body have to work at almost 400% it is easy to how and why neck and shoulder issues are so chronic.
You can always contact us at 626-365-1380 or click HERE if you ever have any questions, comments or concerns about your neck or shoulder issues.
