What is Tech Neck? Right Posture to Escape & Avoid Neck Pain

People without neck pain are hard to find, especially when they spend a lot of time every day in front of a computer – which is almost everyone. Add this to continuous smartphone usage that forces our neck into an overstressed forward curve and then we realize that our neck is taking a lot of beating over time.

Almost no neck escapes the stress and strain caused by this forward curve. The problem is so widespread around the world that this cervical kyphosis is now called ‘tech neck”.

What is tech neck, and how does it affect neck health? And what is the right posture to escape the extreme stress that causes neck pain? We answered all the common questions about this induced new pain in this blog today. Read on to know:

What is tech neck?

Tech neck or text neck is the name given to the abnormal forward neck posture caused by the repetitive stress and strain on the support structures of the cervical spine. While neck pain is an old issue it was not as rampant as it is now due to advent of tech neck among the populace.

What causes tech neck? Why does it cause neck pain?

Our head which weighs around 10-12 pounds is perfectly balanced by the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments in the neck.

A forward tilt of the neck increases this weight by 5X and now the supporting structures of the neck will have to withstand 50-60 pounds of stress every time one tilts the head forwards. Hours of digital consumption through screens (laptop and mobile) force the neck into an abnormal forward curve.

And worse, the forward’s curve stays intact ultimately resulting in neck pain.

What are the symptoms of tech neck?

Most people may not notice the symptoms during the initial phase. The symptoms eventually worsen and begin to show up in the following forms:

• Discomfort in the lower neck, upper back and shoulders.
• Pain while tilting the forward and down.
• Reduced mobility and stiffness in shoulders, neck and upper back.
• Jaw pain and headaches. Pain and numbness in hands and arms.
• Irritation and inflammation on the back side of the neck.

So how to avoid tech neck?

Tech neck which is the result of hundreds of hours of stress and strain does take time to resolve but it does eventually resolve with the right posture and life style changes.

 Right posture technic to avoid tech neck & pain it causes:

The simplest way to avoid the extra stress and strain caused by the neck is to sit in a chair with a 25-30 degree recline. This position shifts the weight onto the chair and as a result, we tend to put minimum stress on the neck while de-contracting other structural elements that cause stiffness. This is also the reason why most people intuitively take a reclining position in the chair to feel relaxed and avoid the extra stress on the neck. By adhering to this position one can prevent the tech neck and the symptoms it causes in the long run.

“But that’s not enough. One must always actively take steps to prevent the neck pain caused by text neck”, says a spine surgeon in UK, Mr Jwalant S Mehta. The most effective way to prevent neck pain is to indulge in physical activity for at least 30 minutes after the workday. “An aerobic activity increases the blood circulation that mitigates the inflammation built-up in the body and enhances mobility”, says Mr Jwalant S Mehta.

Exercise that strengthens the shoulders, back and neck muscles will also help augment the right posture to prevent neck pain in the future. But in a few cases, there could be other inherent reason that is triggering the neck pain. If the neck pain fails to subside even after adhering to the right postures and exercise, one must immediately consult an orthopaedic spine surgeon with expertise in neck and back pain. If you are living in the UK and are looking for an orthopaedic spine surgeon, you can contact Jwalant S Mehta.