PHONING IT IN How Your Smartphone is Causing You Pain, and How To Fix It
Smartphones and social media have brought the world to your fingertips, but with every text alert or Facebook notification, your neck is wincing. “Text neck” is a common problem caused by frequent added pressure to smartphone users’ necks, and its origins involve simple physics. Your head weighs around 10–12 pounds, so whenever you look down, your neck feels the pressure of that weight being pulled by gravity. In fact, just tilting your head down 30 degrees can put 40 pounds of pressure on your neck. Double that motion to 60 degrees, and you can add 20 more pounds of pressure. Considering the average person looks at their phone for more than four hours every day, keeping your head tilted at 60 degrees would be like carrying a medium-sized dog around your neck for hours. The tricky part about text neck is that it affects everyone who looks down, even if they don’t feel pain. In a world of instant alerts, consistently looking down at our smartphones exacerbates this strain. Symptoms of text neck can include frequent neck, shoulder, or head pain. This can affect your ability to concentrate, and your sleep cycle may be interjected with pain, tossing, and turning, which then has a direct burden on your body.
Luckily, there is help for those reaping the tangible pain of text neck. Physical therapy can offer proactive
and effective exercises designed to stretch and strengthen your neck and shoulder muscles. Work your at-home exercises from physical therapy into your smartphone swiping routine. For every 20 minutes you stare at a screen, put the phone down and stretch. Additionally, simple modifications to how you interact with your phone can influence your pain and recovery. Get in the habit of holding your phone directly in front of your face , rather than below or at your chest. Furthermore, you can download apps that will alert you if your posture worsens, and setting recurring reminders on your phone can alert you mid-Instagram scroll to sit up straighter. There’s no avoiding the digital landscape set by smartphones, so don’t get stuck in the pain its side effects can cause. Learn how Stretch Physical Therapy can help you alleviate your text neck symptoms by calling 513-874-8800.
HAVE A LAUGH!
Shrimp Sausage Skewers
These shrimp skewers are a quick way to add some surf and turf to your cookout. Pair themwith a vinaigrette salad for a side dish that complements without overwhelming the main event.
Ingredients
• 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 pound cooked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces Creole Seasoning Ingredients •
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2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
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2 tablespoons paprika
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1/2 tablespoon cayenne or chili powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 tablespoon dried oregano 1/4 tablespoon dried thyme
Directions
1.
Heat your grill to medium-high.
2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for creole seasoning. 3. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, zucchini pieces, and sausage pieces, and cover them with the olive oil. 4. Add creole seasoning and mix well until all ingredients are covered. 5. Load up skewers with alternating pieces of shrimp, sausage, and zucchini until they’re full. 6. Grill skewers until shrimp are well-cooked (6–8 minutes). 513-874-8800 Inspired by PaleoLeap.com
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