“Tech Neck”
Tech neck is a term that is being used more and more to describe symptoms which stem from looking down at phones and devices. As mobile technology becomes more important in our every day lives this problem will only get worse. I am especially concerned for our children who spend large amounts of time playing video games, texting their friends and doing their homework on tablets.
Research has shown that people spend an average of 2-4 hours per day with their heads tilted down and high school students might spend more than 5000 hours per year hunched over. This was shocking to me and motivated me to make these suggestions to reduce the likelihood of tech neck.
The average human head weighs ten to twelve pounds. With good posture the weight goes straight down through the spine. As the head bends forwards the force changes and the neck experiences enormous amounts of load. With a forward head posture of 30 degrees this is the same as applying 40 extra pounds of force on the spine. Do this for an extended period of time and we start to see why the neck becomes damaged. The symptoms of tech neck can range from neck pain and stiffness to headaches, arm pain and shoulder pain.
How can we help avoid this problem and how can we help our children from developing these symptoms? We can easily do this by changing our posture, our environment and incorporating a few good habits.
Correct posture puts the least amount of stress or strain on the body. I typically see people standing with their pelvis forwards, their chin to their chest and their phone resting on their belly. Sound familiar? Whether sitting or standing, think of your body as a tower of blocks and stack the blocks on top of each other. In sitting keep your feet on the ground and stack your pelvis, rib cage, shoulders, neck and head. Use supports such as pillows as needed to maintain and relax in this position. In standing also stack your thighs and shins vertically over your ankle. Then rest your upper arms (elbows bent) into your body keeping your shoulder blades back, and bring the device up at a distance that feels right for your vision. The optimal position is to have the device at 45 to 60 degree angle from the plane of the floor and use both hands to hold the device. You do not have to hold the device up so that it is level with your eyes as this creates a lot of unnecessary tension in the neck muscles. A useful tip when sitting is to fold a pillow around your belly so that your elbows can rest here which helps support and un-weight the arms while maintaining an efficient position.
Consider taking a break every 5 or 10 minutes and also do some helpful stretches for your neck, thoracic spine, chest area and wrists. This will relieve some of the tension caused by mobile device use. A stand for your tablet can also be a very helpful and inexpensive solution.
We should definitely take this advise seriously for our children who are using technology from such an early age. Try to get them up off the floor and sitting in a position that creates less strain on their spines. Consider less time in front of their devises and more time exercising outside which is much healthier for their physical wellbeing and also their brain development. Technology is not going away but let us at least try to approach it in a more mindful way to avoid conditions such as tech neck.
For further information go to www.alisonpalmerpt.com or to schedule an appointment please contact Alison Palmer at Alison Palmer Physical Therapy and Wellness Center 728 1135. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of lift 7. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit. We look forward to helping you towards a healthier life.