The divide between Gen Z and Baby Boomers is set to to open up even further, as apparently, the former are skipping out work due to neck and back pain.
While Baby Boomers will claim Gen Z have it easier than ever, just try and look at getting on the housing ladder these days. And now, apparently it's not just as we get older that we need to worry about neck and back pain, with a concerning number of the younger crowd apparently missing days from work due to these issues.
According to a new survey, Gen Z are far more likely to call in sick due to neck and back pain, and for those Baby Boomers questioning it, no, it's not because they just want a day off.
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The poll was conducted by Victoria Fransen, co-founder of technology company Alvica Medical. She surveyed 2,000 people and said it was 'alarming' to notice how many of the younger people claimed to be suffering from neck and back pain.
Fransen found that 24% between the age of 16 and 26 have taken a day off work due to neck and back pain in the past year. This is compared to just 14% of Baby Boomers (those aged over 59), 18% of Millennials (27 to 42), and only 12% of Generation X (43 to 58).
As for the reason why...of course technology is to blame. The Daily Mail reported on the survey, with Fransen explaining: "They are the most impacted when it comes to doing their job and there is certainly a correlation between this and them being the first true generation of digital natives."
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In general, 63% of the Gen Z participants said they'd experienced neck and back pain in the last 12 months. This comes after chiropractor Jake Boyle shared a shocking TikTok that showed off the 'crooked' X-ray of someone under the age of 35.
'Tech neck' is a real thing, and in his video, Boyle explained: "We are all turning into those old hunched over people and there’s a reason behind it." His video showed off 'horns' growing from beneath someone's skull, which is known of 'external occipital protubence.' Despite seeming like it might be a modern phenomenon, French scientist Paul Broca first mentioned it back in 1885.
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A different survey of 500 people led scientists to draw a link between the number of hours you spend on your phone and the severity your neck pain.
It's an unfortunate part of life as we move from our laptops to mobile phones, but if you want to avoid tech neck, the general advice is to keep devices at eye level. Position your computer at eye level rather than looking down at it, and don't necessarily sit up straight. Apparently, a 25 to 30 degree incline in your chair is the best way to sit.
It's not that Baby Boomers and the other generations aren't using their phones, but it seems Gen Z are quite literally glued to their devices.