Everyone loves their phone. It’s your camera, calendar, GPS, entertainment center, and way of communicating all rolled up into one. They’ve pretty much become an essential part of daily living. And as handy as they are, they’ve also created a new posture problem that seems to be growing every single day. That’s right, the reason for your neck, shoulder, and back pain might be sitting in your hand right now. Discover how smartphone strain affects your body and how you can minimize your risk.
The truth is, your smartphone isn’t the problem, it’s the way you use it. Most people naturally round their shoulders and tuck their chin down while they mindlessly scroll. Holding this posture for hours and hours a day though means your back, neck, shoulders, and even fingers are constantly being strained. Soon enough (without even realizing it) your favorite device is nudging you toward early arthritis-like changes.
Small Device, Big Stress
Imagine you’re holding a tiny dumbbell. It’s not a big deal when you’re only doing it for a minute, but 2 hours straight? Well, that’s a different story. Then there’s your head. Surprisingly enough, your head weighs around 11lbs. When you’re standing or sitting up straight, everything is pretty well balanced. But the instant you tip your head forward to look at your phone, the force on your neck skyrockets. We’re talking up to 60lbs of pressure here!
Now think about repeating that posture day after day. It’s your joints and soft tissue that end up taking the brunt of it. Over time, they become overworked, irritated, and inflamed, which is where those arthritis type symptoms start to creep in.
You’ll likely notice that you’re getting more headaches and some sharp twinges in your neck that may even travel down into your shoulder blades. That extra pressure also causes your spine to degenerate quicker as well. So, it’s not your phone directly causing arthritis, but it is accelerating the wear and tear on your joints. Even that doesn’t happen overnight, though.
Your Body Isn’t Built For Marathon Texting
If you’re like most people, then you hold your phone with one hand and use your thumb to scroll or type. It feels natural… until it suddenly doesn’t. Overusing your thumb irritates the tendons that run along the side of your wrist, which causes pain and swelling after a while. This is often referred to as “texting thumb.”
Think about all the tiny little movements your thumb makes during 20 minutes of scrolling, then multiple that by 100. Your poor thumb is basically busy running a marathon while the rest of your body is sitting on the couch. Over time, that persistent irritation adds up and can cause long term joint changes.
Not Just A Neck Problem
When you hold your phone out in front of yourself, your shoulders naturally start to round forward. And it gets worse the longer you stay that way! In turn, your upper back muscles are forced to work overtime to keep you upright. You’d be surprised at just how much strain this posture actually creates.
That forward rolled position tightens your chest muscles and weakens your shoulder stabilizers. It essentially creates a sort of tug of war your muscles and joints were never designed for. Eventually, that back and forth causes wear and tear (degeneration) on your joints, way earlier than it normally would.
So, Can Smartphones Actually Cause Arthritis?
In all honesty, they can be a contributing factor. Sure, smartphones don’t magically create arthritis, but they do accelerate conditions that make arthritis more likely.
That posture you get from overusing your phone can increase inflammation in your joints, irritate cartilage, speed up degeneration on already vulnerable joints, and create imbalances that stress your spine, to name a few. Think of it as the perfect storm for permanent joint issues. While it may not be the cause alone, it’s definitely fuel on the fire.
How To Prevent Smartphone Strain
Now, here’s the good news. You don’t have to pick between your phone and not having any pain. You just need to be smarter about how you use it.
- Start by bringing your phone up to eye level. Whether that means using a pillow to prop up your arm or getting a fancy Loopycase, you need to bring your phone to you rather than dropping your head down to the phone. Lifting it even a few inches helps reduce the strain on your neck significantly.
- You’ll also want to limit risky situations. This is generally a good life rule, but in this case, it means using both hands, not just one thumb. Typing with both hands or using voice memos (or voice to text) instantly takes stress off of your thumb (by up to 30%, actually!)
- Try to throw in some breaks before doom-scrolling kicks in. Muscle fatigue and joint stress skyrockets after 20 minutes of constant strain. So, that 20 minute mark is the perfect time to get up and take a short break. Stretch your neck, reset your posture, and give your eyes a chance to relax.
- While you’re at it, you can work on your posture muscles for a few minutes too. Stronger muscles means more support and better posture, not to mention less neck and shoulder pain. Things like shoulder blade squeezes, chin tucks, rows, and gentle upper body mobility exercises will do the trick.
- And if you really need to, make some rules for yourself. Set a timer and put your phone down when the alarm goes off. Or only use your phone during commercial breaks. There are even apps that let you limit how much screen time you can have. Whatever works for you. Your body (and battery life) will thank you.
You Don’t Have To Fear Your Phone
Your devices help you stay connected, but they shouldn’t cost you your comfort or health. A few simple changes in how you hold, type, and scroll can do wonders in protecting your hands, neck, shoulders, and back for many years to come.
Your phone will always be there, but your pain doesn’t have to be. If you’re already feeling aches and pains after using your phone, our team can help. We can assess your posture, identify early signs of overuse, and create a personalized plan of care to get you back to feeling your best.
Click here to learn more about preventing neck and shoulder pain.
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