Today, everyone has a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device that is used several times a day. The advantage: we are more connected to each other, but this also has major consequences for the body! You take a hunched posture while apping, texting, surfing the internet and social media and this is very bad for your body!
How do you recognise wrong posture?
These are all symptoms left over from the time you spend on your mobile device. The more you keep your head bent, the more pressure is put on your back and neck. This is not what your spine is made for. In fact, the spine is made to support the weight of the head. The more you bend the head, the heavier the head becomes. Increasingly, we see (young) patients with back pain and neck pain. Not due to overexertion, but rather due to adopting the wrong posture while using smartphones and and tablets. So a tablet neck and texting thumb are not unknown to us!
The most common complaints
Complaints that occur from spending a lot of time on a smartphone or tablet include:
- Tension, stiffness or pressure in the neck, shoulders and upper back
- Pain (sometimes stabbing) occurring in the forearm muscles, elbow or wrist
- Irritation and inflammation in the thumb and hand
- Headaches due to tension in the neck and back
How can you prevent these complaints?
The best tip we can give you is to use your mobile device less, but this is not always an option. Below are several tips that can reduce symptoms:
- Bring your mobile device to your face and try not to bring the face to the device
- Make use of a stand on which you can put your mobile device. Especially if you use the mobile device for a longer time, this way you avoid bending the neck
- Rest your elbows or arms on a cushion or armrest. This will prevent you from raising your shoulders while using
- Alternate your posture and make sure you have enough resting moments.
- When not using your mobile device, make sure you get plenty of exercise (at least 30 minutes a day)
- Do regular relaxation or stretching exercises to keep the body supple
Adopting the right posture
Of course, it is very important to adopt the right posture while using the mobile device, but also when you are not using it. What is the right posture? We would like to help you with that! To prevent complaints or to help you get rid of them, you can make an appointment with one of our specialised physiotherapists! this way, you can use your mobile device responsibly without any complaints!
Get in touch
Our physiotherapists are here for you! You can contact with us by filling in the contact form on our website, contacting us by phone or sending us an email!