What are the vital functions of human life? What MUST you have to live as a human being? Is it essential that we have a heart beat? Yes of course. How about a nerve impulse sending messages from the brain to the body to initiate the digestion of food, movement of your limbs, and balance control? What is another function that we cannot live without?
That’s right.. respiration. Respiration is the exchange and distribution of oxygen from The air that we breathe to the tissues of the body. Humans take on average 14–?20 breaths per minute to supply the body with adequate amounts of oxygen.
Normal respiration is a very intricate function comprising mechanical as well as nonmechanical components. It can be affected by various factors, including age, lifestyle, disease, and change in posture, that can interfere with its normal functioning.
Different postures such as forward head posture (FHP) and kyphosis have been shown to alter breathing mechanism including diaphragm mobility. Alteration of cervicothoracic mobility impairs normal breathing mechanics by reducing diaphragm mobility and strength.
With the introduction of modern technologies including new age computers and other communication devices, such as hand held devices that are available to everyone even youths, individuals are frequently using these devices in bad sitting postures. These include FHP and rotated neck posture similar to torticollis position which in turn affects their breathing pattern and consequently may lead to breathing dysfunction.
Similar postures are usually seen in elderly as a result of normal aging process and related to neck disorders]. Furthermore, musculoskeletal problems of the shoulder, neck, and back can cause twisting of the neck to one side known as torticollis. These positions can interfere with the breathing mechanism and alter the diaphragm mobility.
Body position can influence respiratory function. Changes in body position can alter the length of a respiratory muscle, namely the diaphragm, thereby influencing its ability to generate tension. Several studies have reported that a slumped, poor posture significantly reduces lung capacity, expiratory flow, and lumbar lordosis compared with a normal upright posture.
Recently, smartphones have become essential mobile devices in our daily lives, and people often demonstrate poor posture when using smartphones. Several studies have reported that frequent smartphone use can lead to adoption of a non-neutral neck posture or development of musculoskeletal disorders.
Additionally, many people use smartphones with their head shifted forward and the smartphone placed near their waist or lap while in a sitting position. Changes in cervical mobility, head posture, and dysfunction of local and global muscle systems are believed to lead to changes in force-length curves, muscle imbalances, and segmental instability, all of which can potentially affect thoracic cage function and rib cage biomechanics.
Many previous studies have investigated alterations in cervical movement patterns during smartphone use. In addition, previous studies have focused on psychological problems, such as subjective symptoms of physical problems and stress.