The side effects of Scrolling– From a Physiotherapist’s Perspective

As I started spending more and more time on my phone and laptop while running my own business, I began to notice the effects that prolonged screen time was having on my body. Fortunately, as a physiotherapist, I know which small adjustments to make and which exercises to focus on, to help resolve these issues. So, I thought I’d share the top three things to watch out for:

1. Forward Head Posture

Constantly looking down at our laptops and phones can lead to forward head posture, which may cause headaches, neck pain, and cervical disc issues.

· Tip: Use a laptop riser so that the top of the screen is in line with your eyes (unless you wear varifocal glasses – Top of the screen should be at nose level).

• Exercises such as chin tucks can help relieve symptoms and prevent recurrence of neck pain.

2. Rounded Shoulders and Signs of a “Dowager’s Hump”

Poor ergonomics can contribute to shoulder impingement and tension headaches.

A "Dowager hump" is an exaggerated bump / hump below the base of the neck from stiff thoracic spine. In younger people it can be caused by poor posture and excessive looking down.

· Several muscle groups are typically involved: tight pectoral and upper trapezius muscles, and weak lower and middle trapezius, rhomboids, rotator cuff muscles, and posterior deltoid.

• A combination of strengthening exercises for these muscles and thoracic mobility exercises using a foam roller can be very beneficial.

3. Wrist and Thumb Strain – A new phrase that I just learnt : “Texting Thumb”

This condition is caused by repetitive thumb movement or prolonged phone use, placing strain on the wrist joints and hand muscles.

· If left untreated, it may lead to tendinitis such as De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

· Tips: Use both hands to hold your phone, send voice notes, or use the voice-to-text function. Try to limit your scrolling time.

• Physiotherapy can help through taping, targeted exercises, and manual therapy to reduce inflammation.