Text Neck and the Alexander Technique: How we interact with technology

We are in a new precocious time with the invention of the smart phone. We need to considering how we use ourselves when we interact with this technology. Most people suffer from back pain due to the long hours they spend in front of the screen. Rarely, does anyone think about the importance of good posture when engaging with their smart phones. Evidence is proving that you should! Most people spend an average of 2-4 hours hunched over their screens a day. When you develop bad habits while using a computer or smart phone, over time, chronic pain and discomfort will develop. Soon there may be warning labels on the packaging to alert people that too much screen time is harmful to their posture. Chiropractors have been noticing this new trend. Dr Steve August, who has been in practice for more than 30 years, is now reporting that adults in their 20's and some teenagers are developing the 'widow's hump', a deformation of the upper spine that resembles the hunch back of Notre Dame. Dr. August, published an article in a New York Times article about “How the iphone is ruining your posture” and dubbed this new posture as the ihunch. My personal favorite is text neck. New research in biomechanics is revealing that young people are developing bone spurs on the base of their skulls due to the forward tilt of the head. Recently, the Washington Post published an article on this finding titled,"'Horns' are Growing on young people's skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests". By studying the Alexander Technique you will gain a set of skills through a re-educational process that will allow you to coordinate yourself for an optimal, pain free life while interacting with technology.