25/11/2025
A troubling case from China is raising new concerns about the dangers of poor posture after a teenage boy suffered a stroke caused by hours of looking down at his phone. Doctors say his neck had been bent at a sharp angle for so long that it restricted blood flow to his brain, eventually triggering a sudden blockage. What started as neck stiffness and dizziness quickly escalated into numbness, slurred speech, and collapse — symptoms that left his family stunned given his young age.
When doctors examined him, scans showed impaired circulation in the arteries that run along the spine and feed the brain. These vessels can become compressed when the head is tilted forward for extended periods, especially in teenagers whose musculature is still developing. Specialists warn that the combination of long screen time, poor posture, and a heavy downward head angle can dramatically increase stroke risk, even in otherwise healthy young people.
The incident has sparked widespread conversation among parents and health experts. Many teens spend hours daily in the same posture, unaware of the pressure it places on the neck, nerves, and blood vessels. Doctors emphasize the importance of raising screens to eye level, taking frequent breaks, and avoiding long periods with the head dropped forward — habits that could prevent serious health consequences.
For this teenager, early treatment helped prevent permanent damage, but doctors say the case should serve as a wake-up call. Modern technology may be convenient, but the human body was never designed to stay folded over a screen for hours at a time.
