Technology has changed the way we communicate. The days of having to wait several days for a letter to arrive are long gone. Now, messages can arrive at your phone instantly. But if you’re not careful using this amazing technology, you could end up in the operating room.

A new study published in the journal Surgical Technology International suggests that looking down at a cell phone is the equivalent of placing a 60-pound weight on one’s neck. That is equal to carrying the weight of four adult-sized bowling balls.

According to Kenneth Hansraj, a New York back surgeon, an average human head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds, and tilting it down to check Facebook, send a text, or to Google the weight of an a human head increases the gravitational pull on said cranium.

Hansraj writes in the paper that “As the head tilts forward the forces seen by the neck surges to 27 pounds at 15 degrees, 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees and 60 pounds at 60 degrees,”

This diagram shows how tilting your head down places pressure on your neck and spine. Image: TheTimes.co.uk

According to Nielsen, Americans spend about an hour on their smartphones each day. Unless you train yourself to stare straight ahead into your iPhone screen, you could be continually stressing your spine. “These stresses may lead to early wear, tear, degeneration, and possibly surgeries,” ,” Hansraj writes.

It’s certainly eyebrow-raising to learn that looking at Twitter in the supermarket checkout line is the equivalent of giving an 8-year-old a piggy-back ride.

Time to take a break from my phone!

H/T: The Atlantic

Continue Reading