Text Neck is the term used to describe neck pain damage that is caused by looking down at your mobile, tablet or other wireless device.
Do you suffer from:
- Nagging pain in the upper back?
- Sharp or severe upper back spasms?
- Shoulder pain and tightness?
- Tension head aches?
- Pain, numbness, or tingling radiating down your arm or hands?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may be experiencing Text Neck.
Here are some tips that may help.
- Hold you phone or device at eye level as much as possible
- Take frequent breaks form you phone or laptop
- Set a timer remind you to get up and walk around every 20-30 minutes
- Avoid looking down for extended periods of time
- Make sure you sit square in front of your work screen.
Over the past 28 years, I have seen a drastic increase in the number of patients complaining of neck pain and stiffness. These patients have become much younger, and their symptoms have become much more severe. Ten to fifteen years ago it was odd to see a patient under the age of 20 with a cervical disc issue. Today it has become much more common. At any given time, up to 33 % of North Americans are suffering from neck pain, and up to 60% of these cases describe an insidious onset, meaning that it started for no apparent reason. In essence the postural stresses that we assume throughout our day are responsible for the majority of the cases that we see in our office. The amount of stress on your neck increases significantly as you look down, and accumulated stress over time can cause permanent damage. Learn how to control your posture before it controls you by visiting http://www.fortinogonzalezpt.com/
Fortino is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy, who in October of 2002 became the first physical therapist in the RGV to become certified in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) through The McKenzie Institute International/USA. In March of 2006, he completed his fellowship as a Diplomaed McKenzie Therapist (University of Otago, New Zealand) an accomplishment that has been achieved by only 170 practitioners throughout the United States. In October of 2010 he became the first physical therapist in the RGV to complete a Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (Daemen College Amherst, New York) becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. Fortino is one of only seven physical therapist in the U.S. to hold a Diploma in MDT and be recognized as a Fellow in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. Read more about him here.
