Cellphone devices are used very commonly nowadays. With more advances in technology, we are able to do many things using just our mobile phone. Prolonged use of these devices is associated with poor posture and pain. "Text Neck" is a term coined by Dr Dean L Fishmen, a US chiropractor to the complaints arising as a result of overuse of this gadget. This syndrome is more commonly seen in young individuals and kids who are avid users of this technology. These individuals are also found to develop hunchback as a result of this.

Symptoms of Text Neck:
1.Headaches
2.Neck, shoulder and upper back pain may or may not be radiating to hand.
3.Muscle spasms or tightness in these areas.
4.Nerve pressure signs such as tingling and numbness may also be reported in these cases.

Bio-mechanics:
In his study, Dr Hanraj explains the load on cervical spine (in kilograms) with different angles of forward flexed posture that is usually adopted during smart phone use.

Due to loss of normal cervical lordosis in heavy smart phone users, there is increased amount of stresses on the cervical spine. Moreover, in order to view the smart phone screen properly, the head also comes forward. This causes the lower cervical spine to go into excessive flexion and the upper thoracic area into excessive extension. All these things can lead to early wear and tear of joints and development of joint pains in the upper body quadrant.

Tips to avoid "Text Neck"
1.Keep your smart phone at eye level. ALWAYS.
2.Do not bend forward from your neck. Just look down with your eyes instead.
3.Frequent breaks: The importance of taking a break cannot be ignored. Step away from the device every 20-30 minutes. This will offload the overused structures such as neck, shoulders and upper body.
4.Exercise: Prevention is the key and one of the ways to do this is to do regular exercises.

The following body parts need to be taken into consideration while formulating your workout routine.

a. Neck stretches (up, down, side to side turning and side bending), horizontal scapular adduction (with elbow extended and palms facing forward).

b. Postural awareness exercise like cervical neutral helps to keep an ergonomic self check during prolong use of such devices.

c. Core exercises: A strong core is required to support your neck and upper body.

5. Yoga: Cobra pose, modified locust pose (lifting upper body), Dhanurasana, Tadasana. These poses are a reverse of the slouch posture that your body adopts during prolonged smart phone use.

To conclude, a technological advance in electronics and telecommunication is inevitable. But we also need to get smarter and learn to adopt strategies to use this advancement in our best interest. A little education and daily exercises will go a long way to tackle this health hazard.