As technology makes information and
communication increasingly accessible, the devices used to text with
friends and loved ones and stream videos is actually harming people’s
spines, creating a more prehistoric posture. Excessively tilting the
head to look down at a smartphone has created a condition known as “text
neck", in which the weight of the skull puts stress on the cervical and
thoracic spine (neck and upper back), as reported by The Washington Post.
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Los
Angeles orthopedic spine surgeon Sanjay Khurana discusses research that
indicates that smartphones and laptops are contributing to painful spine
conditions in children and teenagers.
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Board-certified pediatric and adult orthopedic spine surgeon, Dr. Sanjay Khurana
"Placing a substantial amount of weight on the spine at such an early age can interfere with spinal development and require medical intervention at an earlier age,” said Dr. Khurana
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“It's becoming unfortunately common to find
young children suffering from neck and back conditions that don't
normally occur until around age 30 or older,” said Dr. Sanjay Khurana,
Director of Los Angeles Spine Group. “Children and teenagers are now
developing disc bulges, bone spurs, or other painful issues all from
straining to lean forward to use their cell phones.”
The spine is designed to bear a significant
amount of weight, but the vertebrae and spinal discs often begin to wear
down over time. However, poor posture and strain can contribute to
quicker degeneration at different areas of the spine. The human head can
weigh around 12 pounds, but the physical strain on the neck increases
as the head is tilted forward – at a 60 degree tilt, the weight can
cause a 60 pound strain, according to a research study published in the
National Library of Medicine.
“When you spend two hours or more putting 60
pounds of strain on your neck each day, it's not surprising that the
neck and back can become damaged,” added Dr. Khurana. “Considering
children and even teenagers are still growing, placing a substantial
amount of weight on the spine at such an early age can interfere with
spinal development and require medical intervention at an earlier age.”
Poor posture and leaning the head forward for
several hours a week can cause other health issues, as well, such as
depression and chronic headaches, which can weaken the body and make it
predisposed to injuries.
“It's important that parents and children of
all ages understand the dangers of burying your head in your smartphone
for hours on end,” continued Dr. Khurana. “In order to protect your neck
and back, you have to take breaks and you have to keep a healthy
posture. If pain, tingling or discomfort occurs, it can be detrimental
to ignore those symptoms. Seek a medical exam to help identify the
problems and begin an effective treatment plan sooner rather than
later.”
Dr. Sanjay Khurana is a board-certified and
fellowship trained pediatric and adult orthopedic spine surgeon in Los
Angeles. He specializes in minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery
procedures with an emphasis on degenerative disc disease, herniated
disc, spinal stenosis, scoliosis and spinal deformity, spinal
instability, spine trauma, spine tumors and spondylolisthesis. Dr.
Khurana completed his undergraduate degree at the University of
California at Berkeley and his medical school and orthopedic surgery
residency at The Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Khurana
completed his combined orthopedic and neurosurgical training at the
prestigious University of Miami / Jackson Memorial spine fellowship
under the mentorship of Dr. Frank Eismont and Dr. Barth Green.
To learn more about Dr. Sanjay Khurana, please call 310.321-4333 or visit http://www.laspinegroup.com.
Source : PRWEB , 3rd Nov 2015
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