One of the inherent design features of our unique and durable iPhone covers is impact resistance. We spent a lot of time creating and testing a case that could withstand an adventurous lifestyle, and we are incredibly proud of the results. However, we do realize that there is much more to consider where your day-to-day living is concerned. We’re talking about an entirely different sort of impact: the strain that is put on your body by mobile device usage.
There is really no ergonomic way to enjoy your iPad or iPhone, and it may sound comical, but mobile phone injuries are a reality. Here are just a few of the most common side effects of overuse:
“Text Neck”
As you may have guessed, constantly looking down at an angle puts tremendous stress on your cervical spine. Experts say this could lead to serious consequences, especially for younger generations who begin staring down at their devices at a much younger age.
Symptoms include not only pain in your neck and back, but also stiffness in your shoulders, elbow aches, and tingling or numb fingers. You may be able to combat some amount of this problem by setting limits for yourself on the amount of time spent texting each day, or you may have success with taking regularly scheduled breaks from your mobile devices.
Eye Strain
Eye strain, also known as asthenopia, manifests itself as general feelings of fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, headache, blurred vision, and (in more severe cases) double vision. Short-term cases of eye strain are simply annoying, but those few cases that fail to respond to simple measures can be quite concerning. This does have the potential to become something much more serious, so if you have a case that persists for several days, definitely speak with your healthcare practitioner.
Fortunately, Apple’s March 2016 iOS update includes a solution. iOS 9.3 comes with a feature called night shift, which aims to reduce the occurrence of eye strain when viewing your device in the dark.
Increased Stress
Stress is a known culprit in the global issue of bad health. In fact, experts have named it the “silent killer”. There are countless stress management programs and techniques available today, but how effective can those really be in this age of constant buzzing? Your phone is on your person nearly every minute of every day. It’s there telling you to respond to that email, urging you to rush to that appointment, or reminding you of any number of other modern-day demands. It has become so commonplace that you probably do not even notice the toll it is taking on your daily life (and your sanity).
Clearly, all of us here at cradl love our mobile devices, and we’ve made it our mission to protect yours with our impact resistant iPhone covers. However, boundaries are the key to finding balance in any situation. There’s no sense in allowing technology to negatively impact your life…it’s meant to make our lives better, not worse. Use it responsibly and mindfully, and you can avoid some of these common side effects.