According to a study by researchers at the University of Michigan, 53% of Americans’ phone use happens while waiting for something. — Examples include waiting for a takeout food order and waiting in line to buy groceries.
Another would be waiting for children or siblings to finish after-school activities or sports practice, as was the case at Burwell’s Martial Arts in Huntsville, where parents spend many afternoons and evenings waiting for Taekwondo training to finish.
On this particular evening, a handful of parents waited with their cell phones and laptops on laps, as another training session wrapped up, and once it did, we spoke with Taekwondo student Sam Kelley about his cell phone use.
“I’ve been on a Facetime call for 31 hours straight,” Kelley said as nearby parents laughed in disbelief.
Several studies say Americans use devices such as smart phones for at least four hours each day.
As we began this story on injuries that can arise from overuse of electronic devices, we figured our story would center on injuries to hands and wrists. — We soon learned it is not our hands we should be most worried about.
We reached out to numerous physical therapists to find out whether they have patients who are in therapy to recover from device-related injuries. — Most say device-related injuries are numerous and becoming more common.
We met with physical therapist and clinic director Justin Hargett at Encore Rehabilitation’s new Priceville location, where Hargett said he has noticed a trend: While neck and back pain have always been symptoms that drive people to this rehab center, there has been a significant increase in the number of people coming here with neck pain connected to their devices.
“With most folks, when you dig into their history, and you find out what they do for a living — If they stay on their phones a lot or if they’re sitting a lot, people report that as part of what’s going on,” Hargett said. “When you ask them to sustain a good posture, they notice their neck and back pain go away.”
Back at Burwell’s Martial Arts, several parents told me they have traced neck pain and headaches to long stints at computers or on the phone, and it makes them think about their children’s tech habits.
Mother Rachel Dunbar said she allows her son to use his iPad only on weekends, but she is finding that he still spends long periods of time leaning down over the device.
“When he *does* get his iPad, and sits it in front of him, he tends to get really close to it,” Dunbar said.
Justin Hargett said he has been seeing more instances of employers setting policy to break up sessions and computers,and changing workspaces to be more ergonomically friendly. — He expects school administrators to follow.
“Hopefully, there’s going to be something implemented that helps them balance that and have activities within the school in which they break that process up,” Hargett said.
Hargett said most posture and pain issues are easily fixed with a few lifestyle changes and some simple therapies done at home or in his clinic.
While most of his current patients are adults, he has some concern about those who have grown up in the age of the smart phone, like Sam Kelley.
“As technology advances, people advance,” Kelley said as he looked up from his device. “This new generation — I think it’ll be okay.”
