There’s a huge increase in the number of cases related to back and neck pains among the world’s iPad generation today.
According to reports, the number of young people seeking for medical attention with complaints of both back and neck pains has steadily risen in the past year, with the medical world seeing a staggering 60 percent increase in a period of one year alone. Nearly all of these cases are associated with the lifestyle that today’s iPad generation have come to embrace— sedentary and mostly preoccupied with technology.
In the UK, health experts saw a huge increase of people in their 20s complaining of back and neck pains, and the patients were found to have been spending at least 10 hours of their day seated and preoccupied with either their computers, tablets, or mobile phones.
According to the British Chiropractic Association, young people aged 16 to 24 suffering from back pain are now at 45 percent— a huge leap from the previous year’s 28 percent. One chiropractor from BCA, Tim Hutchful, told:
“We’re seeing a rise in the number of people experiencing back and neck related problems because our modern lifestyle is forcing us to stay seated and I’m concerned that the number of patients under the age of 30 coming through our doors is increasing.
“Many people are completely unaware that staying in the same position can cause unnecessary strain on the back.
“Whether at your desk, on your tablet or sitting watching TV, it’s really important to take regular breaks to relieve the build-up of tension in your lower back. Sitting causes up to twice as much pressure on discs on the spine as standing so, as a nation, we’re vulnerable.
“Your back is always hard at work – even when you think you’re relaxing.”
Health experts suggest that it is essential for the world’s iPad generation to realize that sitting all day can cause seriously harmful effects on one’s health. Healthy eating and exercise alone won’t be of much help if an individual’s back is severely damaged out of neglect.
It’s also a common belief among members of the iPad generation that going to the gym can make up for their unhealthy lifestyle. But health experts warn that a session at the gym can not compensate for the hours spent sitting all day.
Arthritis Research UK’s Jane Tadman explains:
“In a recent study, our researchers compared the impact of sitting and walking for various amounts of time with standing up at frequent intervals, and saw the biggest impact on bone and joint health in the group who stood up regularly, highlighting the fact that it is regular movement that is the key.
“A session at the gym doesn’t make up for a day of sitting down for long periods of time in the office or in the sofa. So it’s really important that people of all ages keep moving, and take breaks when they’re sitting at the computer or bent over their mobile device or laptop.”
As some one in my twenties myself I do relate. It’s tough with a lot of today’s jobs being so revolved around computers/sitting at a desk. Even as a student when you’re studying or working on assignments you’re often at a desk with a computer.
Our lifestyle is changing a lot but our bodies aren’t. This is definitely a good wake-up call for me, I’m an avid technology user both in and out of my studies and whilst I’ve been trying to incorporate more exercise into my lifestyle I’ll definitely be prioritising taking breaks too.
Back and neck pain has been in fashion since desktop computers became a staple in the workplace in the 1980s, although I understand that the number has risen again. It’s to be expected, The age bracket of people who are constantly looking down has broadened dramatically. This leads me to muse about what I do with my kids once they start getting exposed to tablets and smartphones.
I am so paranoid about my posture. I don’t really get back pains at all, I sit that well, but my posture sucks when I am on the computer. It’s so hard not to slouch. This is a serious problem that should be addressed in some way. The truth is, though, that the only way to fix it is to not use the computer or the mobile device and move.
I’m personally a gamer and long sessions on the computer tend to end up on backpains if I don’t sit up and take breaks. I usually just go around my yard jogging. My only fear is not to end up having the “Quasimodo” look!
I had hoped that with the rise in tablet and smart phone usage, the dangers of neck and back pain would decrease, since people are no longer stuck sitting in one position. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. I know there has also been an increase in thumb and wrist-related injuries and repetitive motion conditions, related to gaming systems and smart phones. I hope awareness increases, before more are injured.