Over the last few years, technology has advanced greatly. Computers and smartphones now play a significant role in our everyday life. In 2014, it was estimated that 42% of US population 18 years or older possess a tablet computer. We think of these portable devices as a convenient way to stay connected with our work wherever we go. However, the potential for its use-related injury has not been evaluated until recently. While desktop manufacturers provide a guideline to set up the desktop correctly, there seems to be no manual for what the correct posture for using a tablet computer is.
By investigating the head-neck postures during tablet computer usage, researchers were able to explain the correlation between owning a tablet computer and having neck/shoulder discomfort. The extensors of the neck are vulnerable to fatigue, often due to the gravitational moment of head mass during flexed postures. There were some studies that back up the relationship between flexed posture and neck pain. Most of the time, tablet computer users seem to put them in lap, which puts a lot of gravitational of head mass on their neck.
