Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2024

38 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

The neck and head posture that is taken when holding and using a hand-held device is similar to the aforementioned condition, the difference being the upper cervical spine is held in a flexed position instead of in an extended position. The eyes are directed downward, focused on the device, so the compensatory action of extending the upper cervical spine to align the eyes horizontally is not required. This strong differentiator between the two conditions shows that in TNS the upper cervical flaxion leads to posterior distraction forces, weakening ligaments, and instability in the suboccipital region compared to the compression in the same area that is often seen in a typical forward head posture. 1 Texting seems to be the most detrimental out of all smartphone activities. People hold the weight on the phone and lean in to see what they are typing as

their fingers and thumbs try to target tiny buttons. When you are reading, watching movies or even scrolling on your favorite social media platform, your hands and fingers are typically resting and you may be able to hold the device further away or set it down. Gaming and emailing (or composing longer pieces of work) on small devices seem to be the most precarious activities in regard to unique issues like osteoarthritis and thumb tendinitis, mainly due to the repetitive movements of the thumbs. While TNS shares some parallels with other conditions affecting the neck and upper body, its unique attributes set it apart. The distinct forward head posture resulting from prolonged digital device use, particularly smartphones and tablets, defines TNS. This digital device-induced condition also predominantly affects a youthful demographic that

An estimated 700 to 1,400 additional hours of stress are imposed on the cervical spine annually due to poor smartphone posture.

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