Technology causing back problems for children and teens

November 8, 2013

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Maybe its about time you got your kid off their cell phone or iPad for a while.

In this day and age, the way children spend their time is changing, influenced by the technology of this century. However, letting children or teens spend too much time immersed into their technological device can have some serious health effects.

Medical experts have revealed that an increasing number of kids and teens are experiencing a condition known as “Gameboy Back.” This condition involves the spine being abnormally curved or having herniated (slipped disks), and is a result of excessive sitting slumped over on technological gadgets for long periods. These gadgets usually include smart devices, such as smart phones, and gaming devices.

Increasing numbers of children between the ages of eight and 18 are visiting their spine surgeons or doctors for their back pain, which is described as abnormal by experts. The last time noted for such a volume of back problems observed in this age group was 100 years ago when child labour was still common in Europe.

Maybe you should lay off the technology for a while.

Spines normally have an “S” shape, but sitting nearly all day with a “C” shape over many days when hunched over gadgets puts an irregular amount of strain on muscles, disks and ligaments. Some muscles may become too weak or too loose, and the problem becomes more complex over time.

This isn’t the only health problem linked to technology.

Back in the late 2000’s, a condition named “Blackberry Thumb” was used to describe repetitive stress injury in the thumbs, causing pain and numbness in the thumbs and the joints of the hand. This condition was the result of spending excessive time on a handheld device using just the thumbs for typing instead of all the fingers, and had complications mostly seen in older people. Another condition called “Text neck” involves neck strain, headaches and shoulder pain from bending over devices for too long.

None of these conditions are dangerous of life threatening, however it’s definitely not good for you. They can all be avoided and prevented easily by taking breaks from your device, and improve your posture if you find yourself slouching. To tell if you have curves in your spine, all you have to do is bend over and touch your toes, making an “n” shape. If you can’t flex in the middle enough to touch your toes, you may have a curve in your spine.If your back is becoming curved, sliding a rolled up towel behind the back can help you hold yourself up better. All in all, the best thing to do if to lay off the technology for long periods of time and watch your posture.

So what are you waiting for? Now that you’re done this post, take a break and if you’re sitting stand up and walk around. Enjoy your day more instead of being on your technological device so much. Your spine will thank you. 🙂