Cervical Vertebrae Stretched from Hours of Smartphone Gaming Every Day
Unable to Lift Head on His Own... Barely Recovered After Surgery
The story of a Japanese man in his twenties who was diagnosed with the so-called "head drop syndrome," a condition in which the neck bends to the point that he could no longer lift his head on his own, has caused shock. It is reported that this man played smartphone games for several hours each day since his early teens.
On May 14 (local time), the UK’s Daily Mail reported on the case, citing materials released by medical staff at Oita Orthopedic Hospital in Japan.
This man, who is 25 years old this year, suffered from severe neck pain for six months. As his symptoms gradually worsened, he eventually became unable to lift his own head and sought medical attention. Due to the pain, he found it difficult to swallow food, which led to reduced meal frequency and weight loss, resulting in further health problems.
The medical staff explained, "The patient’s cervical vertebrae became dislocated (a condition in which the bones move out of place) after he spent long hours playing smartphone games with his head bowed." They added, "A lump, resembling a scar, protruded from the back of his neck. This was the result of his vertebrae being extremely stretched due to his abnormal posture."
X-ray image of a man diagnosed with "head drop syndrome," caused by prolonged daily smartphone gaming resulting in neck bending [Image source=Science Direct capture]
Accordingly, the medical team first attempted correction using a medical device to immobilize the neck. However, as the man complained of sensory abnormalities, they ultimately performed surgery to insert screws and metal rods into his cervical vertebrae.
Six months after the surgery, the man was able to keep his head level, and a follow-up examination one year later confirmed that there was no recurrence of head drop syndrome, allowing him to return to his daily life.
According to the medical staff, the man originally had an active personality, but after suffering severe bullying at school in his early teens, he dropped out and spent several years confined to his room, playing smartphone games for long hours every day.
According to a paper recently published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, the average adult head weighs about 4 to 6 kg, but the load on the neck increases as the angle at which the head is tilted while using a mobile phone increases. Tilting the head forward by 15 degrees puts about 12 kg of force on the neck, which is equivalent to the weight of six 2-liter bottles of water. At a 45-degree tilt, the load increases to about 22 kg, and at 60 degrees, to about 27 kg. This is similar to the burden of carrying a 6- to 7-year-old child on one’s neck.
Experts advise that when using a mobile phone for extended periods, it is best to take at least a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of use, and to stretch and relax the muscles and ligaments of the neck and shoulders. In addition, poor sleeping posture, lack of exercise, and muscle imbalances in the neck and shoulders are also known to be major factors that worsen neck health.
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