Mobile Phones Many have bad posture by staring at the smartphone

Health damages by looking at the mobile phone could become a "plague"
A life without a smartphone is hardly conceivable for most people. No wonder, then, that the lowered view of the display is now part of everyday life. Often every free minute is used for a quick look at the phone, many people even stare for hours on the small screens. However, experts have been warning of health risks for quite some time in view of this trend. Because of the permanent malposition threatening a so-called "mobile phones", which could lead to complaints such as headache or neck pain.

Every free minute is used to check the e-mails
Whether at the bus stop, in the subway or at the point of sale at the supermarket checkout: Everywhere, more and more people are using every opportunity to check the latest short messages, e-mails or calls on their smartphones. Many users persist for hours with their heads bent over the small display and suffer as a result from complaints such as a stinging in the neck or headaches. "We speak for a few years in such cases of mobile phones," said Wolfgang Panter, President of the Association of German plant and factory doctors to the news agency "dpa".

Lasting bad postures by the mobile phone looking. More and more people suffer from "mobile phones". Picture: DDRockstar - fotolia)

A term that draws attention to the fact that "we have to do something against one-sided maladjustments - whether at work or during leisure time", adds Professor Bernd Kladny, Head of Orthopedics and Traumatology at the specialist clinic in Herzogenaurach. After all, "man [.] Is a running animal and not a sloth. He needs exercise, and every shape is good for him, "says Kladny.

Daily use of more than four hours is no longer a rarity
The complaints affect more and more people, especially because of the increasing useful life. Many users would spend four hours a day looking at small screens on their smartphones and tablets, according to New York spine surgeon Kenneth K. Hansraj talking to "dpa". However, according to the experts, the term "mobile phone neck" is rather "badly chosen" because the physical complaints would normally not be caused by the short retrieval of new messages. "Only intensive use of smartphones and tablets leads to problems," explains Hansraj. Therefore, due to the higher flexibility of the spine, especially among adolescents, there is an increased risk of postural damage, e.g. Linger for hours in chats or watch movies and TV shows on the iPad. According to Wolfgang Panter, however, this problem would also affect the long reading of an e-paper - which is now an attractive alternative to the classic newspaper for more and more older people.

27 kilos additional burden on the back and neck
Hansraj had already examined the connection between the use of mobile devices and possible spinal column damage in 2014 in a model study. The expert from the New York Hospital for Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation came to the conclusion that the approximately four to six kilo head of an adult at about 15 degrees forward flexion burden the cervical spine with an additional 13 kilos. However, since the head is usually tilted by as much as 60 degrees when looking down at the screen, Hansraj could make out a force of 27 kilograms, which rests on the back and neck of the user. If the unnatural attitude persists more frequently and for a longer time, this can be sustained over time, e.g. lead to severe neck tension, muscle shortening, headache or even premature wear of the intervertebral discs.

Human anatomy is poled upright
The reason for the discomfort is evolutionarily conditioned, because today our anatomy is oriented towards a straight, upright gait. Muscles, bones, joints, and tendons help us maintain the upright posture, move from one place to another, and perform the most diverse movements. The constant sitting in the office or at home desk is therefore actually "poison" for the body and can quickly lead to serious health problems. Help can be found here e.g. Berufsgenossenschaftlichen Regeln (BGV) with instructions for an ergonomic screen in order to minimize the risk of incorrect posture and damage to the eyes. But these measures do not apply to smartphones and tablets, as they are quickly put on the thighs for convenience and thus easily mislead to a false attitude. "Laptops are more ergonomic when placed at a reasonable height," said company physician Wolfgang Panter. In addition, it is important to ensure a regular balance: "For example, often look into the distance to train eye and neck muscles."

Keep the phone at eye level
In general, many users should, according to Dr. Hansraj make sure to keep your smartphone so that the head does not have to be lowered. An upright head posture can be achieved when the device is held at eye level. In addition to stretching to avoid a stiff neck, offer small fitness exercises to prevent discomfort. Well-proven examples from the natural healing are here yoga or the so-called progressive muscle relaxation, in which the musculature in the neck area is purposefully relaxed. "Instead of compulsively making compensatory moves, it's better to do a sport that's fun," Kladny recommends. (No)

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