Back pain is any pain along the back, most
especially along the spine and the waist. Though
it affects people of all ages, it is a common
complaint among adults between the ages of
40-60.
However, experts warn that times have changed,
as more younger people now complain of back
ache. They blame the increasing prevalence of
the condition among younger adults between the
ages of 15- 30 on the emergence of devices such
as tablets, computers and of course smart
phones.
According to orthopaedic specialist, Dr. Chris
Omolola, these gadgets are equipped with
various social media and networking platforms
which encourage habits such as long hours of
texting, chatting, pinging- activities which
compromise the position of the spine and some
joints.
Omolola states that research shows that more
than 40 per cent of young adults currently
complaining of back, neck or shoulder pain, do
so because of the long hours they spend
hunched over smart phones, tablets and other
gadgets sending texts, pinging and chatting with
friends and messing around with phone
applications.
“I see more young people with back pain. Not
mild pain but severe back pain that they cannot
sleep well or concentrate due to the pain. When
they come, the first thing I ask them is: ‘How
many hours do you spend on your phone
chatting or pinging?’ I ask them if they are
active on Facebook or Twitter. If they say so, I
know that is most likely where the pain is
coming from.
“While you are doing these activities , you are
most likely to be slouching or hunched over, a
poor posture that strains the nerves and muscles
of the spine, the shoulder and neck. After a
while, the ligaments between your joints begin to
suffer. And because it has no physical
symptoms , you pay little or no attention to it.
Before you know, it is a constant pain in your
back. “
Also, British chiropactor( bone specialist), Tim
Hutchell, notes that the head-down position that
most people assume when they look at phones
and iPads strains the muscles in the neck and
the back. This pain, he adds, extends all the way
down to the spine and lower back,
“The head down position is especially bad for
you if you are using them for hours because your
body will eventually start to adopt this hunched
position. Your posture gets worse every day with
their prolonged use or will I say abuse,’ he said.
Adults too are not exempted from the effects of
technology. Omolola says that 40 per cent of the
causes of back and neck pain among adults is
usually work-related.
Omolola states that they suffer back , neck and
shoulder pain due to their sitting position and
sedentary habits at work.
He notes that everyday activities like sitting at
the computer for long, which most desk jobs in
the 21st century require, tell on the spine and
the bones of the back.
Omolola says, “ Most adults working in offices in
this 21st century spend more than six hours
sitting with their computer, and some spend
another three staring, slouching at other screens
like the television, making nine hours. That is
how long the average adult spends hunched over
or slouched in front of a screen each day.
“People with these lifestyles will have poor spine
health because they are likely to do these
activities with a poor posture. It is a sedentary
posture that does nothing for the spine.”
He attributes other causes of back pain to work-
related stress, lack of physical exercise and poor
choice of foot wear.
Technology is not going away any time soon;
that is for sure. So what can you do to save your
poor spine from aches?
Experts say a three-minute exercise routine
every three hours for those that work at the
computer could help improve their posture and
prevent back pain.
For those who just have to sit for long at
computers, they advise that they should adjust
their seats so their computer monitor is at the
eye level, and the arms and knees are bent at a
90-degree angle, with the feet resting on the
floor.
In the short term, for temporary relief from back,
neck or shoulder pain ask your pharmacist to
recommend an over-the-counter painkiller.
But on the long run, here are some tips that can
help to prevent gadget-related pain in the neck,
shoulder and the back.
- If you’re sitting down while using your mobile,
smartphone or laptop, change your position on a
regular basis and stretch your arms, shrug your
shoulders and move your fingers around to keep
the muscles more relaxed (avoid sitting in the
same position for more than 40 minutes).
- If you need to carry a laptop, get a school bag
or the normal rucksack laptop case and carry it
on both shoulders. Adjust the straps so that the
bag is held close to your back.
- Don’t carry too many items in your bag all the
time – only pack what you need each day.
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