A study has revealed that injuries related to cell phone use, including distracted driving and walking while texting, have dramatically increased in the past 20 years.
The researchers found that cell phone related injuries mostly occur to people between the ages of 13 and 29, due to distracted driving and walking while texting.
The most common injuries were cuts to the face and head, followed by contusions or bruising of the brain, abrasions and internal organ injuries. The study showed that most people received treatment and immediately released instead of being hospitalized.
The researchers pointed out that while these injuries may not appear to be of major concern, they may have long-term effects.
The authors of the study, published in the journal JAMA, said that "Facial lacerations and subsequent scarring can lead to anxiety and lowered self-esteem," particularly if infection occurs, which can increase the need for scar revision and other cosmetic surgery.
They discovered that these injuries were less frequent until 2007, the year Apple introduced the first iPhone. From then on, these number of these injuries have dramatically increased.
The researchers wrote: "Although mobile telephones were gaining popularity prior to that time point, their functions were limited and they were therefore less likely to be major distractions when compared to modern-day smartphones."
The study also discovered that injuries to children 13 and younger were more likely to be due to direct mechanical injury from the cell phone as current devices can be of "substantial size and weight" and can easily injure a small children who are "unintentionally struck by or against" the phone.
Dr. Tom DiAngelis, former president of the American Physical Therapy Association's Private Practice Section, mentioned that the use of a cell phone can damage necks and upper backs.
Dr. DiAngelis said: "As you stretch the tissue for a long period of time, it gets sore, it gets inflamed. The real question ... is: 'What are the long term effects going to be?' "
