24% of Gen Zs have referred to as in sick with again or neck ache in final yr

They spend hours hunched over computers and mobile phones, and now it seems young people are paying a painful price for their addiction to social media.

A poll found Generation Z take more days off work with bad backs than their grand-parents.

Some 24 per cent of those aged 16 to 26 have called in sick with back and neck pain in the past 12 months, compared to just 14 per cent of Baby Boomers – those aged 59 and over – 18 per cent of Millennials (aged 27 to 42) and 12 per cent of Generation X (aged 43 to 58).

Ms Fransen said there was a correlation with being the first true generation of tech natives

Some 24 per cent of those aged 16 to 26 have called in sick with back and neck pain in the past 12 months (File shows scoliosis in patient, right)

Victoria Fransen, co-founder of technology company Alvica Medical who carried out the survey of 2,000 people, said it was ‘alarming’ to see so many young people struggling with back and neck pain.

She added: ‘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.’

Overall, 63 per cent said they experienced back and neck pain in the past 12 months.