TEXT NECK?

Struggling with neck and shoulder pain? Have a teenager in your house who complains about the same?

The ‘text neck’ is bent forward and typically involves some degree of forward poking head posture. A human head weighs about a dozen pounds in neutral posture.

As the neck bends forward the pressure and weight increases on the cervical spine. Research from the National Library of Medicine has found a 30° neck bend increases the disc pressure about 40 lbs. It increases to 49 lbs at a 45° bend, and climbs to 60 lbs at 60° bend. Using the phone a mere 50 times a day with an offending 45° neck bend produces a respectable 2,450 lbs of compressive force in one day.

This can produce a myriad of problems over time including headaches, neck and shoulder pain, disc and bone degeneration and changes to overall posture including a hunched upper back.

You don’t need to give up your technology, but you should consider your neck, after all – you’re only given one. Bring your device up to eye level. Support your neck on a pillow when sitting, use a high back chair and take a break. Physiotherapists are experts at treating neck dysfunction and can provide healthy strengthening and stretches to correct your ‘text neck’.

– Emily Adams, Hons.BSc., MSc.P.T., Registered Physiotherapist, Pelvic Floor & Orthopaedic Physiotherapist