Page 20 - Demo

20 | September 2022
Slippery Rock Gazette
Patented Undermount Sink Clips
FAST. SIMPLE. SECURE.
www.sinkits.com (417) 374-7373 info@sinkits.com
Texting: What a Pain
Technologyhasgiven us many wonder- ful things: smarter homes, safer cars, messag- ing in an instant, the ability for a lot of us to work from almost anywhere, and so many other great advance- ments that help us both pro- fessionally and personally.
On the flip side, technol- ogy has also given us some not-so-great things: weight issues from lack of exer- cise, eye strain, wrist issues, posture problems from incorrect sitting, and sitting too long, headaches, and a number of other unpleas- ant things. Studies show that 60% of Americans develop technology related health issues. Now, on top of everything else, we have Text Neck Syndrome.
Text Neck Syndrome is defined as: A repetitive stress injury to the neck caused by having your head in a forward position for an extended period. The forward pending posture affects the curvature of the cervical spine, the neck and shoulder muscles, and sup- porting ligaments.
In simpler terms, we are all walking (or sitting) around looking down at our phones and it’s hurting our necks. We are either look- ing for, sending, reading, or receiving text messages. Believe it or not, your head
SharonKoehler If you don’t have Text
Stone Industry Consultant
can weigh up to 12 pounds. Depending on how far you bend your neck, you are asking your neck to hold up to 60 pounds of pressure. That is a lot.
The symptoms of Text Neck Syndrome are as follows:
•Nerve pain or numbness in your upper arms and/ or neck.
•Headaches
•Eye strain
•Decreased range of motion in your neck or shoulders due to stiffness •Nagging or constant pain in your neck, shoul- ders, or upper back •Dizziness
If you are suffering from Text Neck Syndrome, there are things you can do to help relieve your numb- ness, pain, and stiffness:
•If you can, take an OTC anti-inflammatory. •Apply ice for the first day or so and then, if necessary, switch to heat.
•Severe cases may require a doctor and pos- sible physical therapy, but lighter cases can be helped by a visit to a chi- ropractor and/or doing neck strengthening exer- cises like yoga stretches and chin tucks.
Neck Syndrome, but you think you might be a can- didate, there are several things you can do to hope- fully keep yourself from falling prey to this ailment:
•When writing, read- ing or sending text mes- sages, hold your phone eye level so you aren’t looking down.
•Take breaks from your phone every 15-20 minutes.
•If possible, set your phone on a stand that raises it off the table or desk, in an upright posi- tion, so when you look at it, you aren’t looking down.
•Do neck strengthen- ing exercises like yoga stretches or chin tucks to strengthen your neck.
On top of Text Neck Syndrome, medical pro- fessionals are also seeing Texting Thumb. Texting Thumb is a tendon problem in the thumb(s), usually accompanied by pain and swelling at the joint along with tenderness and stiff- ness. There may also be a clicking sound when bend- ing the thumb. Apparently human thumbs are not built to take the constant, repeti- tive movements associated with texting. In short, we are rubbing our thumbs the wrong way.
Please turn to page 22