How many times a day do you look at your phone? Do you work a desk job, looking at a computer screen all day? Do you spend hours scrolling social media? Researchers are learning more and more about how these activities affect our bodies resulting in a new diagnosis for neck and upper back pain called Tech Neck.
What is Tech Neck?
Tech Neck is pain or stiffness in the neck, shoulders or upper back caused by the neck being in a continuous downward or forward position. This condition is being caused by constantly looking down at technology – scrolling social media on our phones, looking downward at laptops, tablets, and computers for work, research or schooling, reading Kindles and Nooks, or any other reason your head and neck are positioned in a downward position.
According to Dr. Robert Bolash, a pain specialist at Cleveland Clinic, here is how our neck muscles are affected by technology:
“Neck muscles, in their proper position, are designed to support the weight of your head, about 10 to 12 pounds. Research shows that for every inch you drop your head forward, you double the load on those muscles. Looking down at your smartphone, with your chin to your chest, can put about 60 pounds of force on your neck.”
How to Prevent Tech Neck
So what can you do to avoid Tech Neck or relieve your body of symptoms? Use the below tips to help relieve your muscle tension, balance your posture, and improve your health.
1. Fix Your Posture
Poor posture is one of the main causes of any back pain. Especially when sitting behind a computer all day, it’s difficult to maintain proper posture. It’s important to always sit up straight and try to keep your devices at eye level. If you feel yourself slouching or losing your posture, trying walking around for a minute or rolling your shoulders a few times.
2. Move More
Move around as much as possible. By now, we all know the negative affects sitting has on the body so moving around during the workday should be a no brainer. That being said, you’re probably not moving around enough. You should be getting up and moving around once every hour. You don’t have to move around long, just get up, stretch a little, take a walk around the office, roll your shoulders – do anything that gets your body moving for a few minutes.
3. Hold Your Phone Out
This may feel awkward at first but holding your phone out in front of you instead of looking down will improve your posture and reduce muscle strain in the neck. Keeping your devices at eye level allows your head and neck to align properly and remove unnecessary stressors from the neck and shoulders.
4. Try a Standing Desk
A standing desk is another way to help keep your devices at eye level. Most standing desks have different height levels to adjust to every body type. In addition to keeping your devices at eye level, a standing desk can help you achieve all of the other tips in this article – you’ll be able to move more because you’re standing and your posture will stay intact.
If you’ve been diagnosed with or experiencing Tech Neck or have continuous pain or stiffness in the upper back, neck, or shoulders than find out how Dr. Phil Altieri can help you by calling our office (732)270-4800 to schedule a consultation. Dr. Philip Altieri has been successfully treating patients with proven long-term results in the Toms River area for over 20 years. Our office offers the latest in treatment techniques and advanced treatment protocols to help you obtain the very quickest results possible.
