Friday, November 13, 2009

Texting is a potential pain in the neck and shoulders.


A preliminary study suggests that the number of texts you send may lead to more shoulder pain. For men, the study suggest it's also connected to neck pain.

Dr. Judith Gold, ScD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Temple University’s College of Health Professions and Social Work, presented a study at this year’s meeting of the American Public Health Association suggesting that the more college students texted, the more pain they reported in their shoulders. In the men tested, more neck pain was reported too. The researcher is not sure why the study did not find an association with neck pain in women.

Texting, like computer work and video gaming, is one of the technical innovations that I believe commonly lead to neck, shoulder, wrist and hand symptoms. Underlying conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or herniated discs may also be aggravated. A simple step you can take is more frequent breaks, ideally with some stretching involved. If pain does happen, non-invasive therapies and basic ergonomics are usually very helpful in alleviating it. Call or email (carefully!) if you have questions, or would like to schedule a consultation.


Dr. Charlie Ginsburg, Wheaton Chiropractic
Silver Spring, Md

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