A young woman developed a neck like that of a 60-year-old from excessive phone use.
A stunned doctor discovered that a 20-year-old patient had it from looking down at her mobile.
The university student had visited Dr Yeh Tsung-Hsun complaining of persistent headaches and a neck “as hard as stone”.
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An X-ray revealed a shocking truth – her cervical spine had lost its natural inward curve and, in some areas, vertebrae showed signs of slippage.
Her condition, commonly known as “text neck”, is an early warning of premature cervical degeneration.
Dr Yeh, a neurologist at Yuan Rong Hospital in Yuanlin, Taiwan, said: “Her story reflects the reality facing countless young people today:
“Hours spent every day looking down at phones, binge-watching shows, and playing games, until their bodies cry out in pain, forcing them to confront the seriousness of the problem.”
Looking down may seem harmless, but the human head is surprisingly heavy, as reported by Need To Know.
Dr Yeh explained that tilting the neck 60 degrees – a common smartphone posture – places a load of around 27kg on the cervical spine.
“It’s like hanging a heavy bowling ball, or even a seven- or eight-year-old child, on your neck for long periods,” he said.
“Over time, neck muscles and ligaments can’t cope, discs gradually compress, and the entire cervical structure becomes deformed – wearing out far earlier than normal.”
Misaligned cervical vertebrae caused by text neck can also affect blood flow to the brain, triggering chronic headaches and dizziness.
The condition can compress the brachial nerves, resulting in numbness, tingling, or pain in the shoulders, arms, and fingers.
It can even accelerate disc herniation and bone spur formation, bringing skeletal problems typically seen in older adults decades earlier.
Dr Yeh recommended three simple exercises to help the smartphone generation protect their necks:
“Eye-Level Screen: Hold your phone or screen high so your eyes are level with it. Move your hands, not your head.
“30-Minute Rule: Set a timer – every 30 minutes, looking down, take a five-minute break. Stand up, look into the distance, and rotate your shoulders.
“Wall Chin Tuck: Stand against a wall, tuck your chin back as if making a double chin, and let the back of your head gently touch the wall. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat several times.”
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