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The average American spends up to five hours a day looking at their phones. When you compound that with another seven or eight hours spent sitting at a desk staring at a computer, it’s no wonder that more and more people are complaining of neck pain.
Neck pain and stiffness from frequent electronic usage is referred to as “tech neck” and is typically the direct result of poor posture. When you look down at your phone or lean too far forward while using a computer, your neck muscles contract to hold your head up and keep it steady.
The farther your head tilts forward, the harder your neck has to work, and the worse the effects of tech neck — like muscle spasms, neck pain, and headaches. And while it’s not likely that you can reduce your phone or computer use, you can be more in tune with your posture while you sit at your desk or work on your phone.
To reduce your risk of severe neck problems in the future, our team led by neck pain specialist Don Enty, MD, at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas, offers some practical ways to protect your neck at the office (and at home) in this month’s blog.
Set up your desk for success
Whether you work from home or in an office setting, arrange your workspace to encourage proper posture. Your neck will thank you. We recommend following this set of guidelines for optimal neck health:
- Set your screen 20-30 inches away (one arm’s length) from your eyes
- Elevate your laptop or monitor using some books or a laptop stand
- Keep your neck, spine, and hips in a stacked position
- Always leave your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
- Sit and type with your wrists bent and your elbows at 90-degree angles
Your chair choice also matters. The optimal choice for a desk chair should recline and have a lot of lumbar support. Leaning back slightly instead of sitting upright can also help alleviate some strain on your neck.
If you must use your phone (for work or social purposes), bring it upright so you don’t need to bend your neck to look at it.
Don’t forget to take a break
A surefire way to bring on tech neck is to sit and stare at a screen for hours. Sitting at a desk for long periods is not only bad for the health of your neck, but a sedentary lifestyle can also bring on heart problems and a shortened life span.
About every 30 minutes, get up and walk around for at least a minute to stimulate blood flow and allow your neck to experience different positions, reducing pain and stiffness. Also, consider investing in a standing desk, which can help add neck position variety as you switch between sitting and standing.
Try exercises
If you end up experiencing some pain and stiffness, try some exercises to alleviate your tech neck symptoms. These are a few effective stretches to get you started:
Chin tuck
Start by sitting upright with your chin parallel to the floor. Then, slowly draw your head straight back toward your spine like you’re trying to make a double chin.
Exaggerated nods
Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed. Next, with your mouth closed, slowly lean your head back to look at the ceiling. Then, relax and open your jaw slightly before tilting your head back another inch or two. Finally, close your mouth again and feel the stretch in your neck.
Hand-to-forehead stretch
Sitting upright, place your right hand on your forehead with your fingers pointing to the left. Then, push your head forward while your hand tries to push your head back. Your head shouldn’t move, but you should feel some resistance.
Know when to see a professional for neck pain
Even though posture correction and stretching exercises should help with tech neck, don’t push through pain if it doesn’t improve. Dr. Enty can do a thorough examination of your neck and spine to see if any injuries or neck trauma that needs professional medical treatment could be contributing to your neck pain.
To get started with expert-level neck pain treatment, schedule an appointment with us by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.