How Can You Avoid Text Neck?
Human necks aren’t designed to carry the weight of the head bent over for extended periods of time. However, in our modern era, most of us spend hours each day hunched over screens texting, working, scrolling endlessly on Instagram, and watching questionable YouTube videos.
In the not-too-distant past, we engaged in more face-to-face communication, took in our surroundings while we waited for the bus, and were not prompted by frequent notifications to stop everything, pull a device out of our pockets, and engage in electronic communication – with our heads bent over at a worrying degree for hours on end. That’s the problem. The question is, how can we rectify the situation?
In a time when it seems impossible to avoid the use of electronic devices, it’s not uncommon for people to suffer from pain and reduced mobility as a result. At Whole Body Clinic, we see many patients who are suffering from the symptoms of what can be referred to as text neck. Find out what text neck is and how physiotherapy can help.
What Is Text Neck?
Our neck muscles support our head’s weight when we look straight forward, which is usually manageable without too much fallout. However, when we move our head down at an angle, our neck muscles must work harder to support the increasing force and weight. The further you look down, the more you ask of your neck, and then if you hold that position to reply to those eight emails that have just come in, the soft tissues and joints in the area can begin to struggle. This can result in short- and long-term pain and stiffness in your neck and surrounding areas, which is often called text neck.
What Are The Symptoms Of Text Neck?
As you read this, what is the position of your head? Are you bent over a laptop that is lower than your shoulders? Are you holding your phone in front of you at chest height? Is your neck feeling sore and tight, and your shoulders feeling tense? These could be contributors and signs of text neck.
Some of the common symptoms of text neck can include the following:
- Burning or sharp pain or dull aching in any part of your neck.
- Stiffness in your neck, shoulders, and back.
- Crunching noises as you move and twist your head.
- A tendency to slump or support your head with your hands because of tired and sore muscles.
- Inflammation.
- Nerve irritation.
- Postural deformities, such as kyphosis, also known as a dowager’s hump.
- Headaches.
- Irritability and fatigue.
How Can Physiotherapy Help?
Our physiotherapists can provide a thorough assessment of your neck and surrounding areas and discuss your lifestyle related to your use of devices. We can develop a personalised and suitable treatment plan for you to help improve your pain and stiffness and prevent further issues.
Physiotherapy for text neck can involve methods such as manual therapy, exercise prescription, and guidance and education regarding posture and ergonomic setups.
There are several exercises and stretches you can do to help alleviate and prevent pressure and tension in your neck. We will advise you on the best routine for you and your situation, as well as how often to repeat each exercise and for how long.
Five examples of exercises we often recommend include:
1. Trap Stretches
Your traps, or trapezius muscles, allow you to extend your neck and move your shoulder blades. They run along your shoulders and the back of your neck. To keep these supple and release any built-up tension, trap stretches can help.
Sit with good posture and look straight ahead. Put your right hand under your right thigh between it and the chair. Raise your left arm, reach over your head, and gently pull your head so that your left ear moves towards your left shoulder, keeping your right shoulder in a neutral position.
2. Chin Tucks
Chin tucks help to relieve tension but can also promote correct posture by encouraging you to keep your head in a neutral position rather than pushing it forward away from your shoulders.
Stand or sit comfortably. Look in front of you and then put your index finger on your chin (until you are confident to perform the exercise without guidance). Gently shift the position of your head horizontally and backwards until your neck and shoulder muscles relax – aim for a double chin!
3. Thoracic Extensions
This exercise, which helps the mobility of the joints in your upper back, can be a little tricky to get right at first, so it’s helpful to have one of our physios guide you to begin with.
Place your feet flat on the floor while you sit on a chair. Intertwine your fingers and apply gentle pressure with both hands on the back of your head. Lean forwards in a controlled manner, moving your abdomen closer to your thighs while keeping your back straight. Slowly look up towards the ceiling, curve only your upper back, and move your elbows upwards.
4. Shoulder Scapular Squeezes
Place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows out to the side. Squeeze your shoulder blades back and together and stretch your chest. You can also do this exercise by placing your hands on your lower back.
5. Mobility exercises
It is useful to keep your whole body loose and move about regularly when you sit or stand in a position for a long time. When it comes to your neck, you can do this by relaxing your shoulders and then rotating and tilting your head left and right and moving your head up to look at the ceiling and down to look at the floor.
Improve And Prevent Text Neck
Where possible, try to keep your eyes looking straight ahead when using devices. If you are unable to do so in certain situations, try to move your eyes downwards rather than your head. Always take lots of breaks and see one of our physios to help you find relief and prevent issues from occurring.