Tech neck or text neck is a common issue these days. It comes from excessive use of mobile phones and sedentary jobs requiring one to sit in front of screens for hours. It usually starts with discomfort around the neck area, shoulders and back. The condition also causes stabbing pain, headaches, neck stiffness, jaw pain or numbness in the arms and hands.
It happens because of the awkward posture of neck which leads to strain on the cervical spine and supportive muscles. When you bend your neck forward to look at your screen or mobile for a prolonged time, it results in this condition.
Experts state that just bending the neck forward by 15 degrees puts around 12.5 kg of additional weight on our neck. This increases to 16 kg at 30 degrees and 27.2 kg at 60 degrees of neck flexion. This leads to a significant increase in the pressure over the cervical spine, making it prone to minor as well as major injuries. While one does not realise it, putting our neck in such discomfort for longer periods can permanently affect joints and the cervical spine.
Correct posture and ergonomics
A thumb rule is to keep your screen at eye level. Use stands, laptop raises and arranging desktops as part of ergonomic changes.
Intermittent rest and stretches
Prolonged continuous posture leads to muscle fatigue, causing neck pain and degeneration. Intermittent rest in a reclined position to offload the weight transmission of head over neck proves effective. Intermittent stretches increase blood supply to the muscle, maintain tone and reduce muscle fatigue.
Improve muscle strength
The trapezius muscle and scapulothoracic muscles are dynamic neck stabilisers. These provide strong support to the cervical spine. Improving their strength and maintaining good muscle tone is proven to delay the degeneration as well as improve neck symptoms.
