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Could you go an entire day without using your smart phone or tablet?
People are spending more and more time each day with their heads buried into their personal
devices texting, tweeting, emailing and surfing the net.
We have come to rely quite heavily on our personal devices at home and at work and
as a result, personal device related injuries are on the rise.
It's estimated that the average person spends 90 minutes a day on their smart phone; this
equates to 23 days out of a year.
This usage on top of our normal screen time is encouraging a sedentary lifestyle which
is having a serious negative impact on our health.
The posture often assumed while using a portable device is unnatural and can result in a number
of overuse and posture-related aches and pains.
The spine was not designed to be held in such awkward postures for long durations of time
and the thumb was not designed to do such repetitive tasks, over long duration, on such
a small screen.
The consequence of excess device usage is an increase in what we call Musculoskeletal
Disorders or MSDs.
MSDs are injuries or disorders of the nerves, ligaments, muscles, tendons, joints and cartilage
of the neck, back, upper and lower limbs.
There are several risk factors associated with MSDs.
The two most relevant to device usage are poor postures and repetitive motions.
Bending your head forward at a 60 degree angle to look down at your phone puts 60 lbs of
pressure on your neck.
The accumulation of this extra weight can lead to irregular stresses on the spine, early
wear and tear and the potential for an increased risk of acute injury.
Using our device on the fly with a greater awareness of your body position can help reduce
this risk.
There are a number of signs and symptoms that might help you identify if you have a musculoskeletal
disorder.
You may feel tension in your hands, wrists, shoulders, neck, or head and these symptoms
may come on gradually, seemingly without a cause, or can appear to occur from just a
simple daily activity.
You may also feel tired, or stiff, or achy.
Many people experience headaches, neck and back pain, numbness and tingling into the
hands, or other symptoms not easily explained by an obvious injury.
Recognizing these symptoms and initiating an early intervention are key to a quick recovery.
So what can we do about our sedentary and unhealthy postural habits related to the use
of devices?
Here are a couple suggestions to help get you started.
Alternate between using your thumb and other fingers to type on your device.
Whenever possible, use your fingers to type instead of your thumbs.
Place your phone down on a hard surface if you're texting, or hold the phone in one hand
and text with the other.
If using your thumbs to type, use the pad of your thumb as opposed to the tip of the
thumb, as this can create an awkward position and lead to potential injury.
Keep your wrists relaxed and as straight as possible.
Minimize the strain on your wrists, fingers and thumbs by always using a neutral grip
when holding your device.
A neutral grip is achieved when the wrist is relatively straight and not bent in any
direction.
Maintain an upright neutral spine posture whenever you're using your device.
Avoid looking down as this bends the neck and tends to round the shoulders.
This can ultimately lead to neck, shoulder or upper back pain.
Also avoid holding the phone in your lap or below chest height.
If your phone is below eye level, look down with your eyes rather than your neck.
Also, avoid using the phone to one side of the body with the neck rotated or cradling
the phone between your ear and shoulder.
To limit the stress to your hands and wrists, purchase a protective case that reduces the
need for grip strength when holding your device.
Try using a hands-free headset, microphone, or auxiliary cord to avoid awkward postures
when talking on the phone.
Whenever possible, use a portable keyboard attachment when typing on your device for
prolonged periods.
We recommend that you limit your device use to 10-15 minute sessions.
Taking a 2-3 minute device break in between each of these sessions.
During your device breaks, we recommend a series of stretches and movements to help
you stay loose and mobile.
You should always consult a health care practitioner if you are unsure if a stretch or exercise
will be safe and effective for you.
Here are a few exercises to get you started: To stretch your hand, curl your fingers and
thumbs making a tight fist, then straighten your fingers as far as you can go ensuring
that you don't experience any pain.
Now, with your fingers together spread your fingers as far apart as you can go and bring
them back together.
Again, you should not feel any pain when doing this maneuver.
Finally, move your thumb to each finger beginning with your index finger and finishing with
your little finger.
To stretch your forearm, bring your arm out in front of you and bend your wrist downwards,
noting the stretch sensation you feel on the top of your arm.
Be sure you don't feel any pain in your wrist during this stretch.
To stretch the other side of your forearm, bend your wrist backwards, noting the stretch
you feel on the underside of your arm.
Again, make sure you do not experience any wrist pain when doing this stretch.
To stretch your neck, gently pull your head to the side and rotate your nose to the same
shoulder.
You should feel a gentle stretch sensation on the top of the shoulders and into the neck.
To perform shoulder rolls, roll your shoulders 10 times forward and 10 times backward.
Do not shrug the shoulders too high or create too much tension in your neck, but instead
focus on a nice, smooth and gentle motion.
To perform arm angels, stand nice and tall and make large circles with your arms.
Try to get your hands as far away from your body as possible when performing this excercise.
Preventing MSDs really requires a proactive approach.
If you are not currently experiencing any of the common symptoms of MSDs, now is the
time to begin moving more and employing strategies for prevention.
If you are currently experiencing any of the signs, or symptoms of MSDs, seek the advice
of a qualified health care practitioner, such as a chiropractor, or a physiotherapist to
aid your recovery and help customize a program to meet your individual needs.
Now, while portable devices offer us ongoing connectivity and convenience, they are not
intended for long term use and can cause harm to the body.
In addition to this video, there are a variety of resources customized to help you.
Check out our website for more information.
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