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The one factor fueling modern-day head, neck and face injuries
Our lives have changed a lot in the past fifteen years… and most of those changes can be traced back to smartphones.
Since Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007, we’ve been hooked. And why wouldn’t we be?
Waiting for things doesn’t stink as much as it used to because you always have portable entertainment.
You can cut out of work early without worrying about missing an important email.
You can FaceTime with friends and family members across the world whenever you want.
You always know the weather. You always have a flashlight. You always have directions. It’s amazing stuff.
But with good comes bad…
Even though smartphones have improved our lives, they’ve made our lives worse in some ways too.
How often have you sat in the room with someone without having a conversation because you were both too busy looking at your phones? Too often.
How often have you ended up with neck pain from looking down at your phone too much? Probably more than once.
But there’s another cell phone-related side effect you may have dodged so far. And if that’s the case, I want to warn you about it, so it doesn’t happen to you in the future. What is it?
Head, neck and face injuries that require a trip to the emergency room.
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People are hurting themselves pretty bad with their cell phones
A new study from researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School shows that cell phone-related head, face and neck injuries have been on the rise ever since smartphones became popular in the late aughts.
You’ve probably heard about cell phone-related health hazards like tech neck. But after looking at thousands of emergency room visit records, Rutgers researchers found a few other common ways people injure themselves with smartphones:
- Dropping the phone on their face or head
- Walking and texting
- And of course, the most dangerous, distracted driving
The researcher who led the study, plastic surgeon Dr. Boris Paskhove, was inspired to conduct the research after working with patients with significant injuries from cell phones.
One of his patients broke her nose by dropping her cell phone on her face. And plenty of other people ended up with cuts, bruises, and fractures from their cell phones.
In fact, cuts on the face and head were the most common cell phone-related injuries reported. But do you know the next most common?
Bruising of the brain (contusions), abrasions and internal organ injuries. Yikes!
Preventing cell phone injuries is simple…
I know some of you might be laughing at the thought of people dropping cell phones on their faces and hurting themselves. It sounds silly. But I have a confession… I’ve done it.
It wasn’t my cell phone, exactly. It was my iPad. So, it was even bigger and bulkier.
It was the middle of the night and I couldn’t fall asleep. I decided to watch an ASMR video to help me relax. I was laying down, holding the iPad over my head as I scrolled through YouTube videos and kablammy — I dropped it on my face. It really hurt. I thought there would be a bruise. There wasn’t. But I could see how it could’ve easily been worse.
How do you avoid becoming another cell phone injury statistic?
Well, my first tip (from personal experience) is to never hold your phone (or tablet) over your face while laying down. Even if it’s the middle of the night, sit up for a second.
And as tempting as it is to look at your phone while driving or walking, just don’t do it. You wouldn’t read a magazine or book while walking or driving, would you?
Be aware of your surroundings when you’re out in the world — especially operating a moving vehicle. It takes self-discipline. But remember, a little self-discipline could save your life — or someone else’s. Turn your cell phone on silent. Zip it up in your purse. Lock it in your glovebox. Or if you need it for directions, get a cell phone dock that props it up on the dashboard, so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road. Keep yourself (and everyone around you) safe.
Sources:
- Walking while texting and other cell phone-related injuries are on the rise, especially for the young — CNN
- Phone-in-cheek: Spike seen in cellphone-linked face injuries — MedicalXpress
- Head and Neck Injuries Associated With Cell Phone Use — JAMA Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery
By Jenny Smiechowski
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