If you ask everyone to name a “friend” who is inseparable, many people’s first reaction is “mobile phone”. Many people are looking at their mobile phones while eating, before going to bed, on the way to work, during video conferences, etc. I sit opposite you, but it becomes the farthest distance. But with the use of mobile phones for more and more time, and the strange postures of looking at mobile phones, our cervical spine is suffering.
Studies have shown that a person’s head weighs about one-tenth to one-seventh of their body weight. When leaning forward (lowering the head), as the angle increases, the weight on the neck due to the principle of leverage will also increase exponentially. An adult’s head weighs about 5 kg. When leaning forward to look at electronic devices such as mobile phones, it is usually at a 60-degree angle. Due to gravity and leverage, the neck muscles have to bear more than 25 kg of weight. If the head is lowered a little deeper, for example, as low as 75 degrees, the tension on the neck will reach 5 to 6 times the weight of the head.
After becoming a low-headed person, it only takes 5 years for cervical spondylosis to come to you, with changes in the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, damage to the neck muscles and ligaments, pain, stiffness, limited mobility, and head discomfort; at the same time If the neck is too tight, the burden on the lumbar spine will also increase, and symptoms such as lumbar muscle soreness will appear, which will affect daily life and work. So, how to stay away from “mobile phone neck” and refuse cervical spondylosis? Experts suggest paying attention to the following points.
1. Keep your head down and play with your phone for no more than 15 minutes. When looking at your phone, it’s best to keep your phone at eye level, or keep your phone a little higher, keep your head upright, and don’t hunch your back.
2. Long-term desk workers maintain correct sitting posture. The distance from the workbench should be shortened as much as possible, and the height of the desk and chair should be adjusted to the best state in proportion to your height. Those who frequently use computers should raise the position of the computer screen by a few centimeters, or place a few thick books on the computer screen to make the line of sight and the screen level. In this way, the previous lowering of the head is changed to raising the head, preventing the occurrence of cervical spondylosis from the source.
3. Get into the habit of getting up and moving after about one hour of work, holding the back of the head with both hands and leaning back 4 to 5 times, and then perform chest expansion, shoulder shrugging, or cervical spine exercises.
4. It is best to lie on your back when playing with your mobile phone before going to bed. The supine position is comfortable for almost every part of the body. If the elbows are difficult, you can use the computer desk on the bed and add a mobile phone holder. Lying under the quilt at night to play with the mobile phone, the screen of the mobile phone should be facing the eyes, it is best to tilt it downward by about 45 degrees, and not upward. It should be noted that do not use the mobile phone for too long in a dark room, and do not play with the mobile phone in bed for more than half an hour.
5. Choose the right pillow. The appropriate height of the pillow is 9-10 cm, depending on the physiological characteristics of each person, especially the physiological curvature of the neck. The pillow for the fat person with shoulder width and body can be slightly higher, and the pillow for the thinner person can be slightly lower. For those who are used to sleeping on their backs, the height of the pillow should be equal to the height of their fist (the height of the clenched fist is the standard for the height of the fist); for those who are used to sleeping on the side, the height of the pillow should be the same as the width of one’s shoulders. At the same time, patients with cervical spondylosis can choose a pillow that is slightly elastic. Too much elasticity will cause neck muscle fatigue and damage.
