A study says it: 67% of people "suffer" while using their devices
Drinking the right amount of water helps keep our joints lubricated, says Dr. Alessandro Zanasi of the Sanpellegrino Observatory
They call it "tablet neck", and it is one of the side effects of the increasingly massive use of tablets, smartphones and other technological devices.
And smartphones are according to the Istat [1] are the most used devices to access the internet (89,2% of the Italian population, from 14 years upwards), followed by the PC (45,4%) and tablets (26,1%). The many hours spent with the curved neck and shoulders to read the screens of the devices, make the cervical spine section assume an unnatural position, opposite to the correct one which provides for straight shoulders and a high chin, thus causing pain.
A detailed picture was provided by a University of Nevada study [2] of over 400 people, including students, teachers and alumni. From the research it emerges that 67% of respondents state that they perceive pain in the shoulders and neck while using the devices. The most affected subjects are young people between 16 and 25 (60%), and in particular women (75% compared to 24% of men), who would seem more inclined to assume incorrect postures. The most alarming figure, however, is that 54% of respondents do not give up the use of devices even in the presence of pain.
To counter these annoyances, a series of virtuous behaviors can be implemented to prevent pain, first of all the correct positioning of the devices, with the use of a support for the tablet that allows it to be placed at eye level in order to avoid hunching your back during use. It is also very important to maintain a correct posture and make frequent intervals to get up and walk, taking advantage of these interludes also to drink a glass of water. In fact, proper hydration is one of the fundamental conditions for keeping the discs of the spine flexible. Keeping a bottle of water close at hand, on your office desk as well as at home, is therefore an excellent and healthy habit.
"Our joints have a high water content which contributes to their correct movement - comments Dr. Alessandro Zanasi, expert of the Sanpellegrino Observatory and member of the International Stockholm Water Foundation - For this reason it is necessary to take a lot of water to maintain a balanced level of synovial fluid, responsible for lubricating the joints. It should not be underestimated that spending many hours in front of a screen, without interruptions and therefore without drinking, can also have negative effects on cognitive abilities ". In fact, a condition of moderate dehydration, with a loss of about 2% of body weight, is enough to meet signs such as headache and fatigue, which can be associated with a reduction in concentration, attention and even execution of tasks simple.