Odds are, you may be reading this article on a mobile device. No matter your screen, take a moment and bring your awareness to the posture of your head and neck. Are you looking down into your hands or lap? Are you slouching through the upper back? If you’re not already feeling some strain in those muscles, that condition could be on the way because of bad posture habits most modern tech users are developing. Neck pain from looking down at your devices could be your reason for seeking treatment, but how can you make simple changes to prevent it?
Is Texting Hurting Your Neck?
“Text Neck” is a term first coined in 2007 by Florida Chiropractor Dr. Dean Fishman, who recognized that the pain a teen patient was experiencing was directly related to her posture when using her phone. Since the mid-2000’s, mobile device use has increased, and along with it, reports of neck pain. A study by New York spine surgeon Dr. Kenneth Hansraj found that tilting your head forward to look down at a mobile device can put up to 60lbs of pressure on the neck. This compresses the discs between the vertebrae, leads to pinched nerves, muscle fatigue, and changes to the supportive tissues in the spine, all of which mean pain that can become a chronic condition. How can you protect your neck and find neck pain relief?
Fast Tech Fix
One of the simplest ways to bring some cognizance to your posture and to find neck pain relief is to make sure to keep your device up at eye level, and to find a way to support your arms. Not only will this keep your neck in a more neutral position, it will reduce strain on the shoulder muscles, which can engage and tire out the neck muscles. Following are a few positional options:
- If standing and surfing, make sure to stand evenly on both feet, engage the core muscles, and soften the shoulders down your back so your chest is slightly lifted. Rest one arm across the bottom of the rib cage, and then place the other elbow on top of the resting hand to support the raised arm. The device should be lifted up to eye level, and the neck should feel neutral and at ease.
- If at a desk and texting, sit tall at the front of your seat and bring your elbows to the desktop. Engage the muscles across the mid back by hugging the upper arms in toward the body, and soften the shoulders down away from the ears. The device can be held at eye level to reduce any neck strain.
- When seated and browsing, sit forward at the front of your seat, and bring the entire torso forward to rest the elbows on bent knees. Make sure the navel is engaged, the upper arms are drawn in toward the midline to engage the upper back, and the chin is slightly pulled back toward the throat to fire up the neck muscles. This position requires more engagement through the neck and back to support the weight of the head, but keeps the gaze and neck neutral.
- If sitting on the floor to network, sit against a wall or a firm, supportive piece of furniture. Bring the feet to the floor and bend the knees, and align the elbows to rest on the knees. Make sure the muscles in the core, back, and neck are engaged and bring the device to eye level.
Seeking Neck Pain Treatments in Naples?
Here at Synergy Health in Naples, FL, we provide exceptional results in your healing and wellness because of our multi-disciplinary approach to care. Our medical professionals specialize in everything from injection therapy and physical medical treatments to chiropractic care to correct alignment and physical therapy for strengthening and balancing the body. Contact us today for your personalized treatment plan!
