Tech Neck And How To Avoid It

‘Tech neck’ is a term for the pain in your neck and shoulders caused by spending long periods with your head tilted forward looking at your phone or tablet.

This is an unnatural position and can cause headaches, muscle pain and long-term posture problems.

The human head weighs around 5kg and the neck is designed for the eyes to be horizontal, not looking down. Pick up a 5kg dumbbell and you notice the weight. Now imagine that dumbbell balanced on your spine. As you tilt your head forward, the awkwardness and tension in your neck increase.

Humans are not designed to have phones glued to their hands. It ruins our wrists, fingers, necks and shoulders.

Follow these steps to avoid tech neck.

Strengthen the shoulder and back muscles

  1. Put the phone down and do some exercise. Strengthen the areas you are putting strain on. Include shoulder and back exercises in your lifting program. Think shoulder press, shoulder shrugs, lat pulldowns and rows.
  2. If you don’t lift, work on your core with bodyweight exercises like bird dogs and bear crawls.
  3. Stretch when you can, yoga and pilates are great for posture and flexibility.
  4. Take breaks often. Put an alarm on your phone if you have to. Every 15-20mins put your phone down and do some light stretches. Turning your neck gently to each side, up and down. Roll your shoulders to keep them loose.
  5. While you’re at it, look after your eyes and concentrate on something in the distance to refocus them. Too much close screen can damage them.

Create a better angle

  1. Hold your smartphone or tablet at eye level.
  2. Use a grip or phone extender to keep the angle horizontal from eye to phone.
  3. Use a bunch of books to prop it up or anything to avoid looking down at your phone.
  4. Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid hunching forward.

A good posture is attractive. Avoid slouching and rounding your shoulders.

If you experience neck pain, stiffness, or headaches, talk to your doctor. Tech neck can be fixed with physical therapy and exercise.

Be aware of the issue and don’t let it get to the problem stage.