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- Issue 96
- Cervical flexion posture during smartphone use…
Cervical flexion posture during smartphone use was not a risk factor for neck pain, but low sleep quality and insufficient levels of physical activity were. A longitudinal investigation
Key Points
- Forward head and cervical flexion are the postural positions that describe “text neck” in the literature.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
The phrase “text neck” was coined in 2008 by a chiropractor who attributed teen and young adult cervical pain to the use of smartphones. The term spread rapidly and was adopted in physical therapy marketing as well. The hypothesis was that the flexed posture of the neck and head was harmful and causes neck pain and headaches. The most recent scoping review on the term confirmed that the postural characteristics are the accepted definition (1). This focus on posture as the source of neck pain fails to account for the variety of factors affecting a pain response or for people who habitually use this posture over time and do not have pain.
The risk factors for neck pain include depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and level of physical activity (2). There is also not an association between the time spent on smartphones and neck posture in relation to neck pain or disability (3).
The authors of this longitudinal study explored the relationship over time between smartphone use and neck pain when the influence of psychosocial and lifestyle factors is included. Their stated hypothesis was that “text neck is a risk factor for neck pain.”
For patients experiencing neck pain it would be helpful to address the return of full range of motion, decreasing muscle spasms if needed, addressing sleep quality, and facilitating a consistent appropriate activity level.
METHODS
- This was a longitudinal observational study with a 12-month follow-up.