Tech-Neck has been coined the name for when someone is experiencing symptoms from looking down at their phone too much.
Did you know that the human head weighs between 12-15lbs, and there are many muscles that run from the spine to the head and neck?
When placing the head in a downwards position for extended periods of time you are putting additional pressure into the cervical spine. This pressure can lead from mild to severe neck muscle sprain, cervical nerve root irritation, or even
intervertebral cervical disk damage.
What kind of symptoms could you experience?
Basically, you could experience a stiff or sore neck, soreness in the upper back and shoulders, headaches, radiating pain and or tingling into one or both of the arms or hands. If you are currently having these symptoms please seek a medical professional!
What can you do to avoid tech-neck?
- Try holding your phone higher to allow you to place your head in the upright position.
- Every time you put the phone down do 3-5 chin tuck stretches.
- Just put the phone down… I know its hard, but reality is we really don’t need to be checking social media every 5 minutes.
Remember, the key to longevity,…is flexibility.
