Tech neck refers to the ongoing neck pain that happens when you constantly strain your neck muscles while using technology like phones, tablets, and computers. Over time, this can damage muscles and misalign your spine, leading to bad posture, joint inflammation, pinched nerves, and even herniated discs.
Also known as text neck, it often results from looking down at your phone or other devices for long periods. Your head is heavy, and your neck muscles are meant to hold it upright. When you tilt your head forward while using a computer or scrolling on your phone, it strains these muscles, which can cause your neck to feel sore, stiff, or painful and can also lead to posture issues.
A 2019 survey of college students found that those who spent more time on their phones often had more severe neck pain. Tech neck can extend the neck muscles and shorten chest muscles, leading to a hunched posture that puts additional pressure on your neck and causes your shoulders to slump. This misalignment leads to neck and shoulder pain, soreness, and stiffness.
The spine pressure from tech neck can also pinch nerves, causing neck pain, lower back pain, and a tingling or numb sensation in the hands. Forward-slumping shoulders can irritate the tendons of the rotator cuff, possibly leading to inflammation and shoulder pain, known as rotator cuff tendonitis, especially in those with existing rotator cuff injuries.
Tech neck can cause problems beyond your neck and shoulders. Extra pressure on your spine can result in lower back pain, headaches, and herniated discs. This posture can also put a strain on jaw joints and muscles, leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. It can even cause cervical kyphosis, where you lose the natural C-shaped curve in your neck, which may straighten or reverse.
To prevent tech neck, be conscious of your posture when using your phone, computer, or tablet. Hold your phone at eye level to avoid bending your neck, and try sitting in a chair when doing so. Taking frequent breaks to stand up and move helps too. For computer use, adjust your monitor or screen so you’re looking straight ahead, not bending your neck down or forward.
Consider products designed to promote healthy posture as well. A 2016 study of office workers with tech neck showed that doing shoulder and neck stretches five times a week reduced neck pain and improved functionality after a month. Regular stretching can also help build strength in your neck and shoulders. Here are some stretches and exercises you can do daily to relieve tension:
Repeat these or hold the stretches as long as you need to relieve neck tension. If tech neck pain persists, contact your healthcare provider for advice and possibly a referral to a physical therapist who can suggest other exercises and treatments.
Tech neck involves ongoing neck or shoulder pain, soreness, or stiffness from poor posture while using devices such as phones or computers. It occurs because looking down strains the neck muscles and causes the shoulders to slump forward. Over time, this can deform your shoulder, chest, and neck muscles, putting pressure on your spine.
Fortunately, you can avoid tech neck by maintaining good posture when using computers and holding your phone at eye level when texting. Taking regular breaks and stretching your neck, shoulders, and back during the day can also help relieve and prevent tech neck.
