Scientists say people are spending so much time looking down at their tablets and phones that they are developing bony spikes on the base of their skulls.
According to researchers, growing numbers of people have ‘enlarged external occipital protuberances’ on the back of their heads.
In the 1800s, the growths are considered rare. But now, people may be able to feel bony lumps or see them on people without hair.
Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia have done thorough study into the phenomenon.
Dr. David Shahar, the lead researcher of the study, said to the BBC: “I have been a clinician for 20 years, and only in the last decade, increasingly I have been discovering that my patients have this growth on the skull.”
He suggests that the major reason for the growth becoming more common is extended hours of looking down. The time spent scrolling on tablets, phones and laptops could be putting strain on some parts of the body and causes changes.
The muscles which connect the back of the head to the neck are overused as they try to hold steady the skull. In response, the skeleton develops new layers of bones to widen and reinforce the area.
Scientists suggest that the reason for this is a “hand held technological revolution.”
Dr. Shahar and his team wrote in the study that “repetitive and sustained mechanical load’ leads to adaptation of the tendons and connective tissues.
“The development of [enlarged] EOP may be attributed to, and explained by, the extensive use of screen-based activities by individuals of all ages, including children, and the associated poor posture.
“Musculoskeletal disorders related to poor posture while using computers and tablets have been investigated extensively and were identified as a risk factor for the development of related symptoms at the neck, shoulders and forearms.”
Even though the growths are unlikely to cause any damages, they may never disappear. “Imagine if you have stalactites and stalagmites, if no one is bothering them, they will just keep growing,” he said.
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