How Technology Causes You Pain in Vacaville

If you like to read on your computer or mobile phone, there's a chance that you're doing it in a slouched position. This causes you to tilt your head forward while your shoulders and upper back are rounded.

This is common for many people and it's the major source of neck and back pain in Vacaville. Frequent computer users are the ones who are at most risk of neck, shoulder, and lower back pain.

Daily Computer Use in Vacaville

Even 2 to 3 hours of computer use daily is enough to increase neck and shoulder pain while 5 hours or more has been linked to low back pain. If you are working a desk job, there's a chance that you have already surpassed these numbers.

Of course, the problem here is not the computer but rather the posture that you do while using it. If you have been suffering from neck pain, back pain, or tense muscles, you could still improve your computer posture. For you to be aware of what constitutes poor computer posture, here are some common examples:

• Hunchback - It commonly happens when you are sitting hunched over a computer since it leads to an excessively curved back. If you maintain this posture too often, it can weaken your upper back muscles and will lead to neck, shoulder, and back pain.
• Rounded shoulders - This is another common posture when sitting and it will cause your chest muscles to tighten and your upper back to weaken.
• Forward head - The ideal posture is your head properly aligned with your shoulders and spine, but many people hold their head forward while driving, sitting, and standing. This will cause tightness in your back and neck muscles, along with neck pain.

Apart from neck, shoulders, and back pain, improper posture while using a computer can also cause pain in your jaw, forearms, and wrist and even increase the occurrence of headaches. The problem is further compounded because computers aren't the only technology that can cause you pain.

Smartphones and tablets can also cause chronic pain

Everyone is all too familiar with computer-related pain but there is also texting- and tablet-related pain. This concern is becoming commonplace because a majority of the population owns these devices.

A shocking 3.8 million people have experienced text-related injuries. They have reported that these people have sore wrists and thumbs. Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are becoming very common, wherein it causes swelling and pain in the thumbs, wrists, and hands. Texting thumb, otherwise known as blackberry thumb, is the term used to describe thumb injuries related to texting.

Doctors have added "blackberry thumb" and "texting tendonitis" to their list of diagnoses, alongside the old standbys like carpal tunnel and tennis elbow. Another study even revealed a link between texting and shoulder pain, while another term called "text claw" has been used to describe pain that occurs when your hand has suffered from too much texting.

People who use tablets are at high risk of developing neck pain. When you hold a tablet, most of the time you are hunched over it with your head in the forward down-looking position. This forces your neck muscles to support the full weight of your head.

So, if you keep on experiencing any of these pains, it's time that you visit a chiropractic clinic to get yourself assessed. Just visit us here at Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine in Vacaville, CA to see what available treatments we have for your type of pain. You can call us at (707) 474-5688 to get yourself an appointment today!