The human head weighs about a dozen pounds. But as the neck bends forward and down, the weight on the cervical spine begins to increase. At a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it\u2019s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it\u2019s 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it\u2019s 60 pounds.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the burden that comes with staring at a smartphone \u201d\u201d the way millions do for hours every day, according to research published by Kenneth Hansraj in the National Library of Medicine. The study will appear next month in Surgical Technology International. Over time, researchers say, this poor posture, sometimes called \u201ctext neck,\u201d\u009d can lead to early wear-and-tear on the spine, degeneration and even surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an epidemic or, at least, it\u2019s very common,\u201d\u009d Hansraj, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, told The Washington Post. \u201cJust look around you, everyone has their heads down.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n