Jannen Belbeck 2018-09-22 05:03:26
Device damage
While cellphones and our other tech devices continue to rule our world, we’re starting to see the downsides of being continually connected.
Some of these downsides are societal: In the era of fake news, the limitless ways misinformation is spread can be dangerous. How many times have you scrolled through comments about incorrect information regarding our own profession?
Many health care professionals are seeing the health impacts of technological overuse, too. For example, complaints of eye fatigue and dryness are becoming more common, according to the Eye Physcians & Surgeons of Ontario. Chiropractors, on the other hand have seen more cases of backaches, complaints of muscle spasms, as well as wrist and thumb repetitive strain injuries.
In this month’s cover story, Dr. Paul Hunter shares a technique he’s developed called “Enhancing the Cervical Curve.” He has had some great success with it – with some patients experiencing a bilateral increase in active rotation of 20-40 degrees.
The overuse of technology is also concerning for the young minds of the world, and Dr. Hunter urges the profession to “offer advice to parents on a wide range of issues – including their tech habits.” In a recent study published online in JAMA Network Open, researchers found that among U.S. children and adolescents aged 4-17 years, the estimated prevalence of diagnosed ADHD has increased significantly: from 6.1 per cent in 1997/98 to 10.2 per cent in 2015-2016. Additionally, another study published in JAMA has outlined that the frequent use of modern digital media platforms, such as social media, could be associated with occurance of ADHD symptoms during adolescence. In a longitudinal cohort study of adolescents between 15-16 years (at baseline and without symptoms of ADHD), there was a significant association between higher frequency of modern digital media use and subsequent symptoms of ADHD over a 24-month follow up.
As an upside to our connected world, it allows for collaboration between professionals and the public (our potential future patients). If you haven’t already, join us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more discussions surrounding the latest research and to read feedback from our stories. Enjoy your Autumn season,
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