How "Pokemon Go" Is Contributing To Your Neck Pain And Back Problems And How To Reverse It

The latest video game craze touts that it gets people out and gets them moving about town for exercise. While this is a pretty good concept (because you are not parked on the couch playing games), it is still having a negative impact on some people's necks and backs. If you have just gotten into this craze and find that you suddenly have increased neck pain or upper back pain, here is how this game is contributing to those physical ailments and what you can do to reverse it.

Mobile Phones Do Not Block Glare and Cause You to Bend over Your Phone

Most mobile phones have screens that do a terrible job of blocking sun glare. As such, when you look at your phone while hunting for these creatures in the game, you have to bend your head, neck and shoulders over the phone to block the sun's glare so you can see what is happening on your phone. Now, if you are spending more than an hour every day playing this game, that is a lot of time you are hunched over in an unnatural position, which causes pain and discomfort. You would not sit this way at your work desk, so doing it for the sake of fresh air, exercise and entertainment seems a little far-fetched.

Your Posture and Alignment Are out of Whack

With the constant hunched-over position you are taking while you are walking, your posture and alignment are completely out of whack. Just stop and watch other players of this game, and watch how they walk when they are hunched over versus when they are walking normally. You will eventually feel pain from your neck to your hips and knees as you walk around trying to "catch them all."

How to Reverse the Effects

It is simple really; play less of the game and walk more without your phone (unless you are using it to listen to music). If you still want to play, limit your gameplay to about fifteen to twenty minutes to capture one creature a day, and then focus on just walking. As for the neck pain, some should subside, anti-inflammatories should take care of a little more, and a chiropractor's adjustments should put you back into alignment and help reduce what remaining pain and discomfort you feel. As with diet and exercise, even mobile gameplay should only be done in moderation.