Tech neck (or Text Neck) describes chronic neck pain caused by continuously straining the neck muscles while looking down on phones, tables, or computers. Wherever you are, you will see heads looking down on screens – on the train, in the office, at the local coffee shop, in class rooms…
This is what I saw (in my physical therapy office!) while my girls were waiting for me. Look familiar?
Why is this a problem? Your head is heavy and your neck muscles are designed to hold it upright. Looking down while working on a laptop or using your phone creates excessive strain on your cervical spine, leading to neck pain, lower back pain, rotator cuff injuries, jaw pain, headaches, muscle spasms, poor breathing patterns, ocular pain, and numbness or tingling in your hands. Tech neck can lead to early wear-and-tear on the spine, degeneration and even surgery.
A Washington Post article shares this example “The human head weighs about a dozen pounds. But as the neck bends forward and down, the weight on the cervical spine begins to increase. At a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it’s 60 pounds… Can’t grasp the significance of 60 pounds? Imagine carrying an 8 year old around your neck several hours per day. Smartphone users spend an average of two to four hours per day hunched over, reading e-mails, sending texts or checking social media sites. That’s 700 to 1,400 hours per year people are putting stress on their spines, according to the research. And high-schoolers might be the worst. They could conceivably spend an additional 5,000 hours in this position.
You can Avoid This!
Keep your chin up
Bring screen to eye level. If you can’t, use your eyes to look down without bending your head forward to do so.
Check your posture
Sit Up Straight: Sit with your back supported. Your shoulders should be relaxed but not slumped forward. Your ears should be aligned with your shoulders.
Not sure where your shoulders are? Try some Shoulder Squares or Circles: Don’t let your shoulders tighten up in a hunched position. Try this exercise to improve your posture and mobility. (The “back and down” position is often the hardest.)
Breathe correctly
When you take your screen breaks (see below), practice 3 deep breaths to take the stress of your shoulders.
Your diaphragm is your primary muscle for respiration, not your shoulders. Your shoulders should remain relaxed, away from your ears.
Inhale through your nose, filling your lungs with air. Your rib cages should expand 360 degrees – stretching your chest and abdomen, sides, and back. You can wrap your hands around your lower ribs to feel the expansion. Make sure to breathe into your thumbs on your back. This is often the hardest area to reach and takes the longest to master.
Exhale fully through pursed lips as long as you can. Feel your ribs come back together as your core muscles gently engage. Shoulders and neck are still relaxed.
Take breaks
Every 20-30 minutes, you should get up and walk around. Get some water, use the bathroom, stretch, get some fresh air – even if just for a minute. This isn’t only beneficial for your neck. Your whole body will benefit from a boost in circulation and change in posture.
Stretch
These are two of my favorite stretches to help reverse slumped posture.
Chest Stretch
Keep your back flat while opening your chest. Roll side to side on a foam roller for 1 minute
Wall Angels
Dictation
Experiment with voice-to-text dictation options to minimize typing and looking down on your device.
Assess your work station
Set up your workstation to encourage good posture. See post on ergomics for inexpensive ways to improve posture while working on a laptop.
Your goal is to keep your head in neutral and look at the top of your screen while shoulders and arms are relaxed to type without strain. It is hard to accomplish this on a tablet or laptop so separate keyboards and/or monitors are smart investments.
Strengthen your upper back and shoulders
You can improve poor posture and tech neck by strengthening the back of your shoulders. Try some exercises like rows, reverse flys, and shoulder blade squeezes. See post for instructions.
If you still don’t feel relief after incorporating some of these tips, you’ll want to consider a physical therapy evaluation. After a postural assessment, you may benefit from cupping, myofascial work, taping, massage, and a personalized program for your needs.