"Tech neck" describes mild to moderate neck discomfort linked to forward head posture from long hours looking at phones and computer screens. American adults spend five to six hours every day on their phones on average, and combined with work this posture problem has become common. Specialists at Emory University have noted more patients with neck tightness and postural concerns.
The condition develops when people lean the head forward and keep neck and shoulder muscles active for long periods. The upper trapezius works to stop the head from dropping. Our head weighs about 12 pounds at rest, and moving it forward increases its effective weight by three-fold, which forces the neck muscles to contract more and leads to fatigue, as Peter Sprague, an orthopaedic clinical specialist, explains.
Early symptoms include difficulty concentrating, headaches and lost time from work. If hunching continues, the spine and nearby nerve cells can be affected; some people may notice numbness in the upper body or problems with balance and muscle activity. Cassidy Foley Davelaar, a sports medicine physician, says tech neck is not an official diagnosis but is commonly seen in clinic.
Experts offer practical prevention and relief: sit with ankles, knees, hips and elbows at 90 degrees; prop a phone up or raise a laptop on books and use a remote keyboard; change position every 20 minutes and sometimes squat, kneel, or lie on the side or stomach while using a phone. Recommended stretches include:
- Chin tuck: bring the chin slightly toward the chest, hold the double-chin posture for 2–3 seconds, then release.
- Open book: lie on your side with knees bent at a 90-degree angle, sweep your arm up and hold to stretch the upper back.
- W rows: use a resistance band, pull to form a "W" and squeeze the shoulder blades together to work the paraspinal and trapezius muscles.
- Doorway stretch: place arms on either side of a doorway and lean forward to stretch the front of the neck and shoulders.
As Sprague sums up, "Our bodies are engineered to move, and we don’t." Source: Emory University.
Difficult words
- posture — position of the body while sitting or standing
- trapezius — large muscles across the upper back and shoulders
- fatigue — feeling of tiredness or reduced energy
- numbness — loss of feeling or reduced physical sensation
- diagnosis — identification of a medical condition by doctors
- paraspinal — located beside the spine, often describing muscles
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What practical changes could you make at work or home to reduce forward head posture and device strain?
- Which recommended prevention or stretch from the article seems easiest for you to do regularly, and why?
- Do you think medical clinics should treat "tech neck" as an official diagnosis? Why or why not?
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