EK HEALTH

-by Kim Granata-Clark, MS in Human Factors and Ergonomics, Ergonomic Specialist

Do you have an iPhone, blackberry, Android phone, or any other phone with internet access or you can text message with?  You are probably bending your head down.  Are you experiencing any neck discomfort?

When you are using the phone for something other than making a phone call, keep your elbows next to your body, elbows bent at ~135°, head straight and over your shoulders, and your eyes are looking down at the phone without bringing your head forward and down.  Use both hands to text or search the internet versus only your thumbs.  Hold the phone with one hand and type or search with the other hand. If you do text with your thumbs, take breaks and do some hand/wrist exercises.  Also, do some neck exercises such as bending the neck to one shoulder and hold for 5 seconds and rotate to the other side, turning your head to the left and right as far as far as you can go without pain, or making a half circle with your head by bending your head to one shoulder, drop it down to your chest and continue the movement to the other shoulder.

When making a phone call, do not cradle your phone but use a headset or switch hands and ears periodically during the call.