Akshay Kumar candidly spoke about his habits recently, noting that, unlike many people, his screen time is limited to 15-20 minutes a day. "I check social media a little. But not extensively. I think my screen time would be 15-20 minutes. I have seen many people continuously scrolling for 5-6 hours. I am not giving gyaan or anything, but it does affect your neck bone because you are always looking down, which is not good. So, I would request people not to spend so much time on social media," Kumar said on India TV's Aap ki Adalat. His workaround? "Have a timer. I have done the same for my daughter. She has a time. She cannot see more than this much.I have also seen that people don't play outdoors anymore because of this constant exposure," he rued. Taking a cue from his statement, let's understand how constant mobile use affects your body. Dr Abhishek Vaish, orthopaedic surgeon and sports injury specialist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and Healing Touch Clinic in Okhla, New Delhi, concurred and said that limiting social media time is not just about mental well-being but also about physical health, particularly the neck and spine. "I often see patients complaining of stiffness, pain, or even early degenerative changes in the cervical spine due to what we call ‘tech neck’. When we constantly bend forward to scroll, it increases the load on the neck muscles several times beyond their natural capacity. Over time, this posture strains the ligaments and discs, leading to chronic discomfort," he told indianexpress.com. Notably, tech neck, or text neck syndrome, is described as a "chronic neck and shoulder pain" caused by poor posture resulting from the prolonged use of electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers, which are not optimised at eye level. The symptoms vary from neck and shoulder stiffness to headaches and back pain. His suggestion is to "be conscious of your posture and screen time". "Hold the phone at eye level instead of dropping your head. Take regular breaks, and incorporate basic neck stretching exercises into your routine. Most importantly, reduce unnecessary scrolling — spending less time online not only helps your mind relax but also eases the physical pressure on your spine," said Dr Abhishek. He also emphasised the importance of establishing an ergonomic workspace for individuals who are constantly engaged with social media due to work obligations. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
