Today’s youth are growing up in a world dominated by screens, may it be smartphones, tablets, laptops, or personal computers. While these offer education and entertainment, they can also begin a growing health concern: poor posture.
While lower back pain is the common complaint among adults, youth sloucdhing during online classes and hours of scrolling on the couch are examples of excessive screen time that are taking a visible toll on young bodies.
Here, ready our backs and let’s have a posture check!
Releasing Posture Check No. 1
In an article written by Susan Cunningham of UCHealth, kids and teens who spend six hours a day watching screens in a slouched position and looking down may develop “text neck” or “tech neck”. This refers to the pain or discomfort due to stress and strain on the neck and back muscles, ligaments, and joints. A text neck symptoms include:
- Tight and stiff neck and shoulders,
- Persistent headache,
- Sharp neck pain,
- Fatigue,
- Muscle pain and soreness, and
- Nausea.
Posture Check No. 2
When using smartphones, a person tends to slouch and hunch their shoulders to look down at the screen, which strains muscles and develops rounded shoulders. Based on the Hogan Spine and Rehabilitation Center, this usually happens when the shoulder blades sit too forward relative to the rib cage. This may be due to getting busy scrolling on social media. A poor posture can trigger this condition, especially with these symptoms:
- Muscle and bone aches,
- Breathing difficulties,
- Limited movement, and
- Mental stress.
Posture Check No. 3
You might be arching your back unconsciously sometimes while watching. That cylinder-shaped posture or an upper back that is rounder than it should be is called a hunched back. Here are some symptoms that must be checked:
- Rounded shoulders,
- Curve or hump in your upper back, and
- Tight hamstrings.
Now, what’s the best thing to do?
According to Kaizen Health Group, massage therapy helps improve posture and musculoskeletal alignment. With its ability to address muscle imbalances, release tension, reduce pain, and promote relaxation, it plays a significant role in an individual’s mobility and overall well-being.
Here at Massage Daily PH, we offer you our various classic massage services and what’s best for you!
If you are struggling with overworked muscles and tension on your back caused by slouching for long hours using your gadgets, a deep tissue massage is for you. Deep tissue massage targets musculoskeletal issues such as strains and is focused on the deeper layers of connective tissues and muscle fibres.
After a long day of screen time, you deserve to experience a deep tissue massage that feels like hitting a reset button for the body. The intensity in the areas that were tight from sitting, standing, or moving begins to melt away. You feel your shoulders drop, your back loosen, and the deep, dull aches start to fade. By the end of the session, there’s a sense of lightness and relief—like a heavy weight has been lifted off your body.
PUP Intern, Angelou B. Pucayan