In today's blog, I will address one of the most common, yet underrated causes of chronic neck, mid-back and low back pain. This seemingly innocuous activity is so subtle as to be easily dismissed as a likely cause of spinal dysfunction but I have found it to be a major cause of spinal stress. The activity?
READING/TEXTING IN BED!
Perhaps the fact that in the past two weeks I have treated four new patients for conditions arising from this activity has prompted me to review it in this column.
There are three basic postures for reading/texting in bed each of which presents its own perils.
#1 Sitting up, knees bent, with pillows propped up between one's back and the headboard/wall. This is perhaps the most common posture. This results in a slouching of the shoulders as well a forward and downward position of the head creating a constant stretching of the muscles from the top of the shoulders to the base of the skull.
Allowed to continue over time, this can result in neck/shoulder pain and tightness as well as cervicogenic (neck related) headaches.
#2 As above except the legs are not bent but outstretched. This posture not only can result in the conditions associated with #1, but also place constant pressure on the lumbo-sacral joint often resulting in lower back pain and spasm.
#3 Lying on one's side with the head propped up by one's arm/hand. This is perhaps the most dangerous as it places great force on the head/neck. This often results not only in neck and shoulder pain but also in misalignment of the small bones that make up the cervical spine. The next time you get the urge to read or text consider the above. Find a comfortable chair, desk or table and go for it. Save the bed for what it was best designed------a good night's sleep.....and......you may wake up free of that nagging neck/shoulder ache!