Have you heard of “tech neck”? This term is now widely used to describe neck pain caused by frequently using phones, tablets, and computers.
With these devices now fully integrated into most of our day-to-day lives, tech neck is a significant risk to consider. In this article, we’ll dive into the topic of tech neck and how to prevent it.
Understanding Tech Neck
Tech neck is neck pain that’s triggered by repetitively straining the tissues in the cervical spine. Pain, soreness, and stiffness from tech neck can also involve the shoulders.
On average, Americans spend 5 hours and 53 minutes using digital media. All that time spent looking down at a phone, tablet, or computer keeps the cervical spine bent forward, out of alignment with the rest of the spine. The average human head weighs 12 pounds, but when you tilt your head forward to look down at a device, the head can impart between 27 and 60 pounds of extra force on the neck.
With these numbers in mind, it’s no wonder that the time spent looking down at your phone is starting to take a toll on your spine.
How To Prevent Tech Neck
Here are our top tips for beating tech neck pain:
- Choose a desk chair that reclines and offers support for both the neck and lumbar spine. Reclining your chair can help your neck muscles relax.
- If you have a sedentary job, get up and move around frequently throughout the workday.
- If possible, work standing up. Standing desks are often helpful for neck and back pain.
- Keep your computer monitor at eye level.
- Hold your phone and/or tablet at eye level when you’re using them.
- Seek professional help for persistent neck pain.
At the Rubin Health Center, we can help you tackle tech neck and achieve proper spinal alignment with chiropractic care, massage therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, and more. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!