Tech Neck?

We simply cannot get away from poor posture and how it influences our health, this pandemic has increased the use of technology more than ever with everything going online.

And though we must appreciate how technology has made our life easier and more accessible, it’s important to acknowledge there may be a price to pay as we rely on it more and more.

Tech neck is a term bouncing around social media and refers to how we hold our head and shoulders whilst using technology leading to pain and discomfort, poor posture influences our whole spine, hips and even lower limbs as we adapt to different postures.

Tech neck increases the forward movement of the head and neck, research highlights that flexing the head forward to use a smartphone directly affects the spine. 

Tilting the head forward to 15 degrees places about 27 pounds of force on the neck[1].

This increases to 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees and 60 pounds at 60 degrees[1].

It mostly effects the younger generation; however, we see the effect it is having to a larger spectrum of patients including the older generations.

It really is like an epidemic and certainly one we are seeing a growing number of related issues presented in the clinic.

Neck issues can vary in nature and intensity, here are a few that may be experienced:

Headaches.

Neck pain.

Neck stiffness and muscle tension.

Numbness or pins and needles feeling.

Pain mid back around the shoulder blades.

Achy/stiff movement when waking up.

If any of these are familiar and you experience them, then maybe you are experiencing a bit of tech neck.

So, what can you do?

Here are a few tips we recommend:

Take breaks from prolonged use.

Avoid the prolonged use, trying using the desktop if you can.

Take regular breaks

Carry out some mobility and stretch exercises to reduce some of the residual tension build up.

Incorporate strength and mobility exercises into your normal exercise routine. A stronger more mobile neck has more resilience to injury.

Exercise the whole body not just the stiff bits, just because you cannot feel other areas does not mean they are not under extra tension which may be felt later.

Make yourself comfortable and supported when on technology, using pillows, lumbar and other postural supports to take the pressure of your body.

Raise your device up to eye level so not to be continually leaning forward, you could use your mobile device to video and then examine how you sit, stand etc.,

Damage caused by untreated text neck can be similar to occupational overuse syndrome or repetitive stress/strain injury.

If you experience the symptoms regularly a clear diagnosis is recommended, the symptoms may be from a more serious condition or injury that is progressively getting worse.

If in doubt check it out!

Contact the clinic and book in to see one of our clinicians

Deansgate Osteopathic Clinic
Tel:01204 522133

Reference:

1: Neupane S, Ifthikar Ali UT, Mathew A. Text-Neck Syndrome-Systemic review. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. 2017;3(7):141-148. Accessed 18 July 2019.