SMS neck - the impact of the smartphone on the spine

Author Dr. Bence Balázs Moravcsik | 2019.10.26.

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Generations Y and Z are what researchers call digital natives: people who can't imagine life without mobile phones, the internet, instant gratification apps and social networks.

Wherever you go, everywhere you go downcast looks you see around you. If we counted how many people are looking at their smartphones with their heads down while reading this article, the results would be daunting. The resulting SMS neck syndrome can have serious consequences.

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What is an SMS neck?

You've probably felt the pain slowly creeping up from your upper back to your neck after a long time of looking at your phone with your head down.

The SMS neck of the cervical spine deformity due to poor posture. The more time you spend on digital devices, the more you increase the risk of neck damage.

The most common complaints and consequences of SMS texting:

• Chronic muscle spasm
• Frequent headaches
• Neck stiffness
• Shoulder pain
• Arthritis
• Calcification
• Porckopás
• Hernia of the cervical spine, etc.

The younger you start using digital devices, the earlier you develop the aforementioned complaints.

What causes the complaint?

The cervical spine changes significantly after prolonged stooping, due to the constant lowering of the gaze. The double S-shaped curve that gives the back its flexibility and load-bearing capacity is eliminated and replaced by a C-shaped curve. This puts much more strain not only on the lumbar spine, but also on the neck.

Tilting the head at a 60-degree angle while looking at a smartphone screen puts the equivalent of nearly 20 to 25 kg of pressure on the cervical spine, and the more you tilt your head forward, the greater the load.

Looking down puts stress on both the front and the back of the neck, particularly on the intervertebral discs. The back of the neck tenses up as the muscles on the back of the neck are in a constant state of contraction, trying to pull and support the head in this position, which can lead to muscle tension and neck and back pain.

Drastic overloading can relatively quickly lead to spinal lesions as the muscles adapt very quickly to the change in posture and then „pull” the spine away, locking it in the modified position.

How can problems be avoided?

The good news is that there is a very simple solution to prevent it: keep your head up!

Make a conscious effort to keep your devices in front of your eyes, head and neck to avoid making a decision.

Some tips against SMS necklacing:

• Take more breaks, change your position and periodically exercise your neck and shoulders.
• For example, try lying on your back to relieve pressure on your neck.
• Straighten your back and practice good posture. When your shoulders are pulled back, the body remains in a neutral position.
• Create an ergonomic workplace.

Dr. Bence Balázs Moravcsik
Orthopaedic-traumatologist specialist