You read that title correctly. If you’ve been following the news recently, you’ve likely come across several stations reporting on this. It’s scary to think about… but let’s break it down to what’s really going on.
Recent reports from multiple news agencies like Fortune, CNN, CNBC, etc. have outlined the findings from a study done at the University of Queensland in Australia stating that prolonged mobile device usage can be altering our underlying physiology. More specifically, researchers are seeing horn-like bone spurs being formed on the skulls of kids and young adults from frequent technology usage and the associated hunched forward posture that normally comes along with it.
Photo Credit: http://fortune.com/2019/06/20/horns-growing-human-skulls-cell-phones/
The good news is that we won’t start seeing kids looking like dinosaurs with horns coming off the front of their skulls. The bad news is that this is a real problem and bony growth off the back of the skull is really happening. This needs to be addressed and prevented before serious long-term consequences start to become the norm for the younger generations.
The study looked at roughly 1,200 x-rays covering a wide variety of age ranges. One third of the x-rays showed the bone spur, and larger spurs were more prominent in younger people.
So What Does This Mean?
Well for one thing it means that we need to monitor our posture when using technology and handheld devices. The best advice we can give is to try and keep all technology devices at eye-level, allowing you to maintain a correct posture sitting up tall with your head centred on top of your shoulders, rather than hanging out forward in front of your chest.
The “horns” themselves might not cause any immediate problems, but what’s essentially happening is an ossification of the tendons and ligaments due to repeated and prolonged stress around the base of the skull. Ossification means calcium deposits are being formed in the stressed tissue. When this happens it can lead to chronic pain, swelling, reduced range of motion, and possible tendon rupture.
Our office focuses on NeuroStructural Correction and our detailed examination process utilizes digital x-ray analysis in most cases. This allows us to accurately assess spinal structure and identify other problems like degeneration, congenital anomalies, and even tendon ossification. We believe that doing this allows us to provide the most specific care possible leading to positive, long-term health improvement.
If you have questions about our office, x-rays, or our exam process please don’t hesitate to contact us at 905-599-4804 or click here!
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