Chances are, you’re already staring the culprit for your back and neck pain in the screen. According to a study published in the journal Surgical Technology International, between reading work emails, checking Facebook and flipping through Instagram, people spend more than two hours each day on average looking down at their mobile devices. It may seem like no big deal in the moment, but keeping your neck craned in this downward position actually puts five times the amount of normal force on the neck, adding pressure and stress to the neck and spine that can cause long-term damage. Rather than angling your head to look down at your phone, flip things around by raising your phone so your head remains in a neutral, AKA not tilted position, and take frequent breaks from your smartphone.
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