1. What Causes Cervical Spondylosis?
Cervical spondylosis is mostly induced by long-term poor postures and living habits, such as sleeping on an overly high pillow, watching TV lying on sofas or beds, napping prone on desks, and roughly twisting the neck. Prolonged adoption of these postures damages the cervical vertebrae. Among all groups, phubbers are at the highest risk, as they maintain the harmful bowed posture for far longer with greater strain on the neck.
2. Why Office Workers Are More Prone to Cervical Problems
A typical trait of phubbers is keeping their heads down continuously, often for two-thirds of the day. This sustained compressive posture alters the natural physiological curvature of the spine. In addition, office staff spend all day staring at computers or bent over paperwork. The double strain from work and phone use greatly raises the risk of cervical and lumbar lesions.
3. Preventive Methods for Office Workers
Lin Hongsheng, Chief Physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, offered targeted advice for office workers, a high-risk group for cervical spondylosis:
Maintain standard sitting posture at work, following the "three 90-degree principle": keep hips, knees and elbows all bent at a right angle.
Avoid hunching over work nonstop. Stand up and walk around every hour to stretch shoulders, neck and head; full-body movement is ideal if time permits.
Protect the neck and shoulders from cold air; do not let air conditioning blow directly on the cervical area.
Dietary conditioning
Eat more foods that strengthen tendons and bones for internal nourishment, including animal tendons, Chinese yam, walnuts, black fungus, tremella, sesame, beans, wolfberries and kelp, to build dual protection against spinal damage.
Habit correction for phone use
Consciously limit phone-scrolling time. Avoid fixating on screens with your head bowed for hours; rotate your neck and shoulders regularly. Better still, put down your phone, go outdoors and look up at the sky. Close your eyes to breathe in fresh natural air — real beauty in life lies far beyond digital screens.