We have the privilege to live in a technology revolution that is really useful when it comes to the evolution of information, medicine, and other important fields that can make our lives better and offer a beautiful future. Nowadays, it is not a surprise to see someone using a foldable electric scooter, but this was considered science fiction in the 1950s.

Even if the benefits are things that make us really happy and have a great sense of freedom, we still have to learn how to adapt our bodies to their use. Computers, tablets and mobile phones are being used by almost everybody on the planet. The problem, however, is that our bodies have not been designed to use them.

Essential things you need to know about the spine

The first thing we need to understand is that, over time, the human body has evolved to walk in an erect position. Moving and walking were the most important activities that influenced how we hold our bodies. 

The spine is an essential part of your skeleton and there are some things you need to know to understand why neck pain appears. The spine is composed of three parts: the lumbar spine, the thoracic spine and the cervical spine. Its main components are vertebrae and intervertebral disks. 

Vertebrae are bone structures and the intervertebral disks are made of soft tissue and have the role of absorbing shocks and offering mobility. The spine is held in a straight position by the muscles that surround it. When these muscles are strong, they can do a great job of keeping the spine in the proper position according to the moves we make.

If the muscles are weak, the spine might not move in a proper way and you can get injured.

How much weight is the neck designed to hold?

When you hold your neck in a straight position of 0 degrees, it supports a weight between 10 and 12 lbs. However, when you bend the neck forward, the weight that is perceived by the spine in the cervical area increases. So, according to how you hold your neck, you can get to a 60 lbs weight applied on the neck when you bend your head to 60 degrees.

But what does technology have to do with it? Well, people who work for 8 hours a day at the computer know that holding a straight position can be really difficult. This is because we don’t always pay attention to how the computer is positioned to make us keep a good posture.

Furthermore, tablets and phones make us bend our necks because our back muscles are not strong enough to help us keep a straight position while we are using them. That is why most of us use our phones holding a 60-degree bending angle of our necks – therefore, applying a weight of 60lbs on our cervical spine.

How does the pain occur and what can we do about it?

Keeping any position for a prolonged period of time can cause a lot of pressure on the spine, but also on the muscles. The muscles get really tight and, eventually, start to cause us pain. People all over the world hold a bad posture while using technology devices for at least 3 hours a day, some do this even more, so you can imagine what that does to our bodies.

When the muscles contract, they put pressure on the spine and do not have the ability to support it in the right position. This can cause the disks to dehydrate and eventually get damaged. Disk herniations can be really painful and can cause neck pain, hands pain and numbness, and headaches.

To avoid these situations, the best thing we can do is to look for a good physical therapist that can help us make our muscles stronger and keep a good posture. We also have to always pay attention to the way we hold our heads while using our phones and computers. This is one of the most valuable things we can do, always adjust our posture.

This will help us live a pain-free life and avoid any unwanted problems that can cause us pain and health issues at an older age. If you are one of the few who have not yet experienced this type of pain yet, remember, prevention is the key to a healthy life.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.