If you use a tablet or iPad, be wary of this…

Most of the Starts at 60 community says they use an iPad or tablet to read the site every day. They are great devices that have made a lot of things much easier! But they are also causing some serious problems. New research shows that there is a tablet related health epidemic coming called, tablet neck.

According to the Daily Mail, the study, published in the journal Ergonomics, has found that using these devices puts incredible strain on the neck – around three times more strain than desktop computers! This can then turn into other issues like back pain and lead to headaches.

The study reports, “Tablet use requires significant head and neck flexion [bending] and has implications for potential neck injury to user”.

They also identified that users who use a tablet on a flat surface or on their lap also had the same problems and that the level of strain was quite consistent regardless of whether the user was reading or writing.

Because of the natural way we stand when using a tablet device with our head bent over and our spine curved, repetitive use of these devices is also giving us bad posture – something that has been linked to a range of illnesses, diabetes and poor mental health.

So today when you are using your tablet or iPad, take a break every 15 minutes. Look directly up, look down and press your chin to your chest, look to the left and look to the right. Then readjust your body and make sure your shoulders are back and your spine is upright.

Tell us, do you experience problems after using your tablet or iPad?