Is excessive smartphone usage really growing 'skull horns'?
What's the story
After headaches and cancer, we humans have found a new problem to blame smartphones for - Horns. Sounds bizarre? Yes, as weird as it may sound, a number of media outlets have reported that people are growing bony spike-like protuberance out of the back of their skulls, because of smartphone usage. But, is this true and smartphones are to be blamed? Let's find out.
Study
Australian researchers found the bony projections
All reports go back to a study conducted two years ago by researchers hailing from the University of Sunshine Coast in Australia. The group had studied X-rays of 1,200 Australians, aged between 18-36, and spotted bony projections at the back of some of their skulls. The spike-like projections were seen at the lower occipital bone, where ligaments, muscles, and tendons attach.
Results
41% subjects had the projections
The projections were seen in some 41% of the subjects and ranged between 10 mm to 30 mm in length; plus, they appeared more common and larger in younger members of the study sample. In addition, the researchers involved in the work, David Shahar and Mark Sayers, also noted that males were 5.5 times more likely to have these kind of projections than females.
Issue #1
However, the researchers' interpretations have raised questions
While the results discovered by the scientists are true, their interpretation has raised some serious questions. On the basis of their data, the scientists posited that the postures resulting from the use of smartphones could be driving the growth of these projections. But, here's the thing, they just made this interpretation, without actually proving the connection between smartphone use and the so-called horns.
Quote
Here's what the researchers said
"We 'hypothesize' EEOP [enlarged external occipital protuberance] may be linked to sustained aberrant postures associated with the emergence and extensive use of hand-held contemporary technologies, such as smartphones and tablets," the researchers had concluded in the study.
Issue #2
The researchers didn't compare smartphone users
In order to prove a connection like this, one has to compare smartphone users with people who don't use phones for some time - something that doesn't happen in this case. Also, it is worth noting that most of the people studied were already facing cervical spine (neck) pain, which is why they had visited a chiropractor - where the data was collected.
Fact
We need more than a single study to draw conclusions
Having said that, before jumping to conclusions we need to see that the story here, horns growing due to phone usage, isn't proven. We need more evidence (plenty of studies) around these lines to show some sort of correlations between the projections revealed by the Australian researchers and the general use of smartphones. Until then, you are good to use smartphones, young or not!