What is Facebook Neck or Text Neck?
Facebook Neck or Text neck is a modern age term coined by US chiropractor Dr. DL Fishman in Florida to describe repeated stress injury and pain in the neck resulting from excessive watching or texting over a sustained period of time on hand held devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, e-books and tablets,fablet,etc.It is also popular as Fackbook Neck syndrome. This high tech living style is a mounting and health condition of the massive mobile phone user all over the world.
Who suffers most?
As technology is advancing so that increase concern especially for the children given them to cell phone usage. A recent research study has revealed that approximately 87% of teenagers (14–18 years) in USA and 79% teenagers (12–15 years) in UK own and use smart phones. Regardless of neck pain, it can also the source of shoulder pain, upper back pain, headaches and increased back bone hollowing viz Kyphosis
Biomechanics of being Facebook Neck
Heading to Biomechanics, we have to understand that our neck region spine moves with cumulative results of 7 cervical spines individual’s movement. So that, each vertebra has some limit to rotate, bend and straight but as a whole, the neck movement get its maximum functional length. When we keep our neck at around 45 degrees, it results even worse with compared to sitting position, versus standing, the study team writes. The negative impact portray on the spine raise at higher flexing position as they add. When we make in neutral posture with look forward, the head weighs between 4.5 to 5.5 kg. At a 15-degree flexion, it feels like 12 kilo. The pressure on the spine escalates by degree, and it is at 60 degrees.
How does Facebook Neck Impact on Body
On an average, weight of Head is about 10–13 pounds. When your head is learning forward, it feels heavier causing your spine to work harder to hold your head up. In the image below, see how learning forward will shift your head out of your center of gravity, causing it to feel heavier. The average persons spend 2–4 hours a day on smart phone .Not including all the time spent Hunched over at a computer desk. That’s a lot odd extra weight on the neck and shoulders.
Symptoms of Text Neck
Soreness of neck: Moving the neck difficulty is usually present. When trying to move the neck after long usages, stack of neck feels.
Pain: It can be localized to one spot or may diffuse in nature over an area, usually lower part of the neck can be described as dull ache or can also be sharp throbbing or stabbing nature in more server cases.
Pinched nerve: It is also called referred pain which can often be radiation of pain to the shoulders and arms.
Muscular weakness: Shoulder girdle muscles namely, trapezius, rhomboids and shoulder external rotators are often weak.
Dizziness with Headache: sub-occipital muscle tightness can lead to stress type headaches.
Early onset arthritis
Management
Functional Rehabilitation is seen as viable in treating the stress injury coming from the facebook Neck. Rehabilitation can be designed as a 2–4 week program starting with soft tissue mobilization, Grade 1 and 2 joint mobilizations, active and passive stretches of tight muscles and progressing to muscle strengthening, posture retraining and home exercise program. In acute cases, pain relief is the main goal. It can be achieved by:
· Exercises to combat text neck: Strengthening and stretching your muscles (Restoring function to upper Trapezius Regular neck movements: rotations and side bending
· Chin tuck exercises
· Ice/heat packs
· Deep transverse friction manipulation
· Dry needling
· Cupping
· Electrotherapy
· Ergonomic correction of office and home.
In extreme chronic cases pain medication, injection into the facet joint or trigger point or acupuncture can be done.
“Prevention is better than cure”
Recommended holding cell phones in front of the face, or near eye level, while texting. By using two hands and two thumbs to create a more symmetrical and comfortable position for the spine. Beyond cell phone use, the spinal surgeons suggests to work at computers or on tablets use an elevated monitor stand so that it placed at a natural horizontal eye level. While using desktop, laptop, a similar adaptation should be made by keeping a separate keyboard and mouse to maintain the laptop at eye level and still create a good ergonomic position while typing. It is difficult to recommend a perfect posture for mobile phone users. If raise up level of the phone at eye level to keep away from flexion position, it will put in new concern for the shoulder due to the high arm level. Moreover, we can follow certain recommendations such as
· Refrain from too much usage and take regular short breaks within work.
· Stop prolonged static body posture like sitting, standing.
· Put the device such position that it eases pressure both on the head/neck and the upper arms.
· Stay away from high repetitions of movements such as sustain prolong typing or swiping.
· Avoid holding weighty or heavy devices in one hand for long time.
Conclusively, Facebook neck can be prevented and can manage self along with medical professional help. So self images of own spine specially neck should be monitored and modification of own posture with mobile texting pattern is vital factor that we should follow. Moreover, Cervical/Neck ache relapsing or associated with severe migraine like pain, fever, unintended body weight loss, drowsiness or electricity pass like sensation refer down to the arm, fingers or any other problems, it is essential to look forward medical Doctor as any of these signs along with neck ache might indicative of serious underlying medical attention which requires to diagnosed by a doctor for the proper management.
