What Is Text Neck? | ErikDalton.com

What Is Text Neck?
“Text Neck Syndrome” refers to pain, dysfunction, and muscular imbalances of the cervical region.1
Text neck is a global problem with Scandinavian countries and the United States reporting the highest prevalence of neck pain related to smartphone use.2
In a study to determine the frequency of text neck in college students, a random sample at one institution found that 46.9 percent reported neck pain and 43% reported mild to severe disability in their neck.3
Neck flexion angle influences gravitational movement and neck muscle activity. The greater the angle of flexion, the higher the neck discomfort scores after 4 minutes of texting.4
To avoid Text Neck Syndrome, people operating smart phones should maintain less than 15 degrees of neck flexion.5
Massage therapists, bodyworkers, movement therapists, and manual therapists, now is the time to expand your toolbox when it comes to techniques for the neck. Follow the link erikdalton.com/courses/upper-... and check out Erik’s foundational course titled, Upper Body Treatment for the Neck, Shoulders, and Torso worth 22 CE hours.
(1) Kumari, S. et al. Text Neck Syndrome: The Pain of the Modern Era. International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, Volume 11, Issue 11, 2021.
(2) Kazeminasab, S., et al. Neck Pain: Global Epidemiology, Trends and Risk Factors. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, Volume 23, Article Number 26, 2022.
(3) Ahmed, S. et al. Prevalence of text neck syndrome and SMS thumb among smartphone users in college-going students: A cross-sectional survey study. Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, 2021.
(4) Tapanya, W., et al. Influence of neck flexion angle on gravitational movement and neck muscle activity when using a smartphone while standing. Ergonomics, Volume 64, Issue 7, 2021.
(5) Namwongsa, S., et al. Effect of neck flexion angles on neck muscle activity among smartphone users with and without neck pain. Ergonomics, Volume 62, Issue 12, 2019.
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