Cellphone use linked to bone growths
The over-use of smartphones and hand-held devices such as games consoles may be causing horn-like growths on the back of the skulls of young people, scientists have warned.
Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland took X-rays of 218 people aged between 18 and 30 and found that four in 10 had developed a bony lump of up to 3cm just above the top of the neck.
A second study of 1000 people found the strange growths were larger and more common with young adults than with the older population, suggesting they are a relatively recent phenomenon.
David Shahar, who was completing his PhD at USC at the time of the study, said the bony growths were once exclusive to older patients, resulting from the slumping that comes with age.
But he was surprised to find so many growths in younger people. Testing including MRI scans and blood samples ruled out the possibility that the growths were the result of genetic factors or inflammation.
Instead the researchers believe they are linked to stress on the neck ligaments and tendons caused by the head being tilted down for extended periods.
“Shifting the head forwards results in the transfer of the head’s weight from the bones of the spine to the muscles at the back of the neck and head,” Shahar said.
“The increased load prompts remodelling on the tendon and the bony ends of the attachment. The tendon’s footprint on the bone becomes wider to distribute the load on a larger surface area of the bone.”
Shahar said the findings offered a warning about “the early and silent development of bone and joint damage due to poor posture” and highlighted the need for preventive intervention through posture modification when using hand-held technologies.
“This is evidence that musculoskeletal degenerative processes can start and progress silently from an early age,” Shahar said.
“These findings were surprising because typically they take years to develop and are more likely to be seen in the ageing population.
“It is important to understand that, in most cases, bone spurs measure a few single millimetres and yet we found projections of 10 to 30mm in the studied young population.”
The researchers believe the problem could be corrected by posture exercises.