All those horror stories you mum tells you about looking down at your phone ruining your posture? Turns out she might be right.
Australian doctor Dr. James Carter (who may or may not be related to Dr. John Carter from ER, still waiting for confirmation on that one) has released a number of very worrying X-Rays that he claims show kids as young as seven with curved spines due to hunching over your iPhone, playing Candy Crush or Snapchatting away.
Dr. Carter told Daily Mail Australia that he's seen an 'alarming' increase in 'text neck' over the past few years with 50% of instances being found in schoolchildren. Normal neck spines curve forward, but 'text neck' curves backwards leading to head, neck, shoulder and back pain.
'Resting your chin on your chest to look at your phone stretches the spinal cord and brain stem. This can affect respiration, heart rate and blood pressure.' Dr. Carter says. Even worse, it can affect your body's production of Seretonin and Endorphins, the hormones that keep you happy and balanced mentally. So, if you're waking up anxious every day; this could be a reason why.
Luckily there is work that can be done to combat text neck - regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle are suggested.
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Pictures: Ada Hamza, Dr. James Carter.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.