Your smartphone can be a pain in the neck, with “text neck” becoming more common among mobile device users. Looking down at your phone or other device for extended periods can cause a strain on the muscles in your neck. This can increase the speed of disc degeneration and weaken muscles responsible for holding up your head. The average head weighs over 10 pounds, so looking down is like hanging a 10-pound weight on your neck muscles.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of "text neck" include:
- Pain in the neck, upper back and shoulders
- Poor posture and rounded shoulders
- Headaches
Poor posture can also start to impact the curve of your spine over time. Even if you’re not experiencing pain right away, you could be damaging muscles or nerves in your neck and spine without realizing it.
Stop It Before It Starts
Help avoid issues down the road by:
- Taking breaks from your phone or other devices, and regularly bring your head and neck back to a neutral position.
- Focusing on stretching your neck and rolling your shoulders back.
- Using your devices while sitting with good posture.
- Getting up and moving around every 15-30 minutes to keep the blood flowing.
Are you experiencing ongoing neck pain?
We can help. Speak with one of our specialists and learn about how our spine program can help you with your neck and back pain.