Smartphones & Pain
Everywhere you look, people are using smartphones. Technology and habits have evolved beyond calling and texting, and we’re now frequently using our phones for work, directions, games, movies, news & social media, and as a camera. Increased use of smartphones can lead to increases in head, neck, shoulder, and hand injuries and pain. Many of the injuries are sustained due to poor posture, improper load, and overuse or repetitive motions.
Using good body mechanics and being aware of your posture are keys to avoiding injury. Here are some tips:
Maintain an upright posture while texting and browsing the web, gaming or reading. Avoid awkward postures where your head is down, your shoulders excessively rounded and your spine is in a flexed position.
Use one hand to hold the phone and your index finger on the opposite hand to scroll and type. This position gives your thumbs a break and prevents pain and injury. Setting your phone down and taking a break to stretch also helps decrease stress on the hands.
Limit the amount of time you use your phone for work. Save emails, messages, documentation, or other work duties for the computer when possible. This also decreases positional and postural stress and decreases stress on the hands.
Remember to take breaks from using your phone in order to stretch, reset your posture, and avoid fatigue and overuse of muscles.
Switch hands or use a hands-free option while speaking on the phone to decrease postural stress on your elbow and ward off neck and shoulder pain.
Keep your wrists in a neutral or straight position while active on your phone. This helps decrease upper extremity symptoms such as numbness and tingling in the hands and shrugging of the shoulders.
Hold your phone upright towards eye level to decrease neck flexion and strain on the neck and back muscles. The greater degree of angle and flexion at the neck increases the pounds of force placed on the neck and back.
Using Smart Phones Wisely: Prevent Pain. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2019, from
https://www.aota.org/About-Occupational-Therapy/Patients-Clients/Adults/Smart-Phone-Prevent-Pain.
If you develop pain symptoms in the head, neck, shoulders, or hands, please reach out to us at Breathe In Motion Physical Therapy & Wellness! Our Doctors of Physical Therapy will be able to accurately assess posture, positions, and muscle imbalances to allow you to enjoy the use of your phone pain free!