Tech Neck Relief Treatment
With the advent of iPads, smartphones and other devices, our necks and upper backs feel the effects. As we spend hours bending down looking at our phones, and our kids play with their tablets or other similar devices with their heads bent downward, it’s wreaking havoc on our posture, the alignment of our spine, and the health of our nervous system.
Symptoms of Prolonged Technology Use
When we hold a device in our hands or spend hours seated at our desks with computer screens that are too low or far away for our chair height and distance, it puts a very unnatural amount of stress on the neck. In fact, for every inch we hold our head forward and out of proper posture alignment, an extra 10 pounds of pressure is added to our neck and shoulder muscles and spinal joints.
As a result of this overuse of tech devices, and long hours spent at workstations that are ergonomically incorrect, we’re seeing increasing incidences in the loss of the neck curvature in our patients, as well as dowager’s hump in children and young adults.
Other symptoms of tech neck may include
- Tingling in the arms and legs
- Headaches
- Tightness through the shoulders and neck
- Decreased range of motion for the neck and head
- Pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back
- Eye pain
Keep Your Body in Motion
If you’re looking at a phone or an iPad, in a seated position, rather than putting that phone in your lap, bring one foot up onto the chair so that you can rest that phone on your knee. When you’re standing, hold the phone out before you to look at it instead of having it down near your chest.
If a child is sitting on the couch with their device, having them prop it up to eye level with pillows is also a good way to keep their necks from bending too far forward.
When setting up a workstation at home or work, the computer screen should be at eye level with the child or adult, with their feet flat on the floor. When a child is studying and doing homework in front of a screen, or bent down looking at their materials, encourage them to stand for a period, taking breaks.
Our bodies love variation and movement, so when your child returns to studying, suggest a different position so they’re not stagnant in their seated positions.
A brisk walk will also turn on the extensor muscles, those muscles located on the back side of our neck and shoulders, and keep our bodies in motion. You can also roll up a towel at the end of the day, placing it between your shoulder blades for 10 to 15 minutes to allow your tissues to gently stretch and return to a somewhat neutral position.
Explore the Benefits of Chiropractic for Tech Neck
Chiropractic adjustments encourage the body to reverse the effects of our tech habits, working to realign the spine and help the nervous system work at optimal levels once more.
If you feel the effects of tech neck, our Tamar Chiropractic team is happy to help! Contact us today to schedule a visit.
