How Can I Prevent Tech Neck?

Wrong Postures – Tech Neck

Most of the users tend to spend extended segment of their time on their electronic devicessuch as the smartphones, desktop computers or laptops. While doing so, they tend to neglect the postures adopted while engaging in texting or browsing through the computers or laptops. This gives rise to neck soreness or Tech neck, due to wrong postures for long period of time while engaging themselves in these activities.

 However this may not be limited only to the neck though neck pain is the usual recognized symptom. Tech neck could also affect the other areas of the spine as well as the body. While utilising these devices we normally tend to bend our necks forwards.

 According to research it has been observed that while the head angles forward, the weight could mount up to 60 pounds more as one bends forwards. A right posture enables the minimum amount of strain, which in turn supports the muscles and the ligaments.

Remedy for Tech Neck

While working on a computer or gazing down at the phone, the muscles towards the back of the neck tend to contract to hold the head up. The more the head is strained to look down, the more the muscles have to work to keep the head up. This is turn stresses the muscles from looking down at the smartphones and working on computers and tablets which is known as `Tech neck’. In order to bring about an improvement in posture, thereby reducing the danger of developing Tech neck we could maintain the following:

1. Try to have the screen at eye level or a bit below saving the trouble of looking down continuously for extended period of time to avoid Tech neck. To avoid holding the head forward, you could have your phone or tablet at eye level.

2. While in a sitting posture, maintain the right posture by resting the elbows and arms on your chair or desk. YOU should to be relaxed and the feet should be placed flat on the floor. You could sit on a chair with a head rest which may save the trouble of looking down while working.

3. One should also avoid being in the same position for more than half an hour and try to take breaks from the same posture to avoid Tech neck.

4. Engage yourself in consistent activity and work on generalized stretching and strengthening to ease out stiffness in the body. Best way to sit would be with the chair reclining 25 – 30 degrees having a good support which will avoid slumping. With this posture, the discs in the back and the neck are at a much relaxed upright position. Moreover the muscles in the back of the neck do not have to contract in holding the head up.

Symptoms of Tech Neck 

Some of the common symptoms faced in Tech neck are stiff necks, pain between the shoulder blades, headaches and neck spasms. Some also tend to have difficulties in looking up after gazing down for long period of time. In most severe cases, one also tends to get a feeling of tingling or numbness which travels towards the arms due to a nerve which may have been strained in the neck.

In some cases Tech neck could cause serious problems to the person. Initially the muscles may have difficulty in holding the head up. When the muscles tend to get tightened they have a tendency of putting more pressure on the discs.

This leads the discs to wear out quickly and owing to the wear and tear quickly, they could get ruptured or bulge out. It is when a disc that is ruptures tends to strain a nerve; one would experience pain, numbness in the arm or weakness.

The person should consult a physician if the pain persists which may need prompt and urgent attention. It could also result in undergoing surgical treatment. Some of the warning signs to be aware of are:

• The person experiences weakness in the arms or legs • Experiences fever • Pain tends to gradually worsen 
• Pain moves gradually from the neck to the arm 
• Observes difficulty in using the hands while performing simple task 
• Experience issues in balancing or walking 
• Experiences difficulty in controlling the bowels or bladder. 

Exercises for Tech Neck

 

Exercise can be of tremendous help for Tech neck problems. The person can engage in aerobic exercises. This enables the oxygenated blood to the stressed muscles and clears away the chemicals causing the inflammation and pain. If one has had a tiring day working at the computers, an exercise comprising of around 45 minutes could provide much relief to the stressed muscles and reduce the pain. Overall the person will feel much better after the 45 minutes aerobic exercise. Daily exercises is essential for those working for long hours at the computers to avoid Tech neck