Text Neck and How to Avoid It
Our modern digital age has gifted us with many conveniences. Smartphones, tablets, and e-readers make it possible for us to communicate or be entertained with the push of a button. While technology can improve our quality of life, it comes with a price; being huddled over our devices for long periods of time can do more harm than good.
Using certain devices for extended periods of time can easily lead to neck strain, headaches, as well as pain in your shoulders, arms and hands. If you’ve used a smartphone or tablet for an extensive amount of time, you’ve probably experienced the strain it puts on your upper body. These conditions even have their own name, “Text Neck”.
Four Strategies to Help You Avoid “Text Neck” Strain:
- Take frequent breaks:
Take frequent breaks and look up from your device. This will give your neck some relief from the pressure of looking down.
- Sit up straight:
It’s important to sit up straight while texting. This way, you can maintain good posture, relieving your back and shoulders from the strain of being hunched over.
- Hold the phone a little higher:
Holding the phone closer to eye level helps maintain a healthy posture and puts less strain on your neck. Consider using a stand for devices, even periodically, to change the way that you hold and look at your device.
- Stretch:
Be sure to stretch often between long periods of extended use of devices. Put your hands at your sides and rotate your shoulders to relieve tension. You can also tuck your chin down to your neck and then lookup. This action helps relieve some of the tension built up in your neck due to the forward-down position we often adopt when looking at our devices.
Author: Dr. Marco De Ciantis, D.C.