If you’re looking down at your tiny phone screen now, take a moment to notice how you’re feeling. Do you feel:
- Instant upper back and/or neck pain?
- Nagging or sharp pain in your shoulders at the end of each day?
- General shoulder pain and/or tightness?
- Intermittent or constant headaches?
- Postural problems?
If you’re experiencing these ailments, they may be text neck symptoms.
What is Text Neck Syndrome?
Affectionately named “iNeck pain”, text neck occurs when your head is hung forward and down for a long period of time—most likely looking down at your mobile device. The more you lean your head forward, the more weight your neck has to support. Your head weighs ten pounds, and every inch forward doubles that weight! Over time, this causes serious neck strains, leading to a text neck. The pains you feel are also aftereffects of such an unnatural posture.
Untreated text neck is incredibly damaging: from increased spine curvature to permanent arthritis, these issues are becoming shockingly common in younger generations! Thankfully, there are treatments out there that prevent or manage text neck.
How can I manage my text neck on my own?
1. Raise your mobile device
Simply lifting your phone, video game or computer screen to a higher position or eye level does wonders! This keeps your head and spine in a neutral position, so you don’t have to hold a forward-head posture for too long.
2. Take conscious breaks
Make an effort to take breaks from your phone. Set reminders and timers for 2-3 minutes every hour to cue yourself. This alleviates the strain on your neck from craning your head.
3. Stretch regularly
Regular stretching strengthens your neck and shoulder muscles, releasing tension and stress that cause text neck pains. Stretches such as the exaggerated nod, downward-facing dog, cat-cow and chin tucks are especially useful.
Text neck treatment
Chiropractors are the most qualified people to fix text neck syndrome. After assessing the severity of your condition, a therapy plan is customised just for you; typically, this involves various spinal manipulations, stretches and exercises. Some treatment options include neck adjustments, neck decompression and text neck therapy, which re-align your neck and back and relieve discomfort. At My Chirocare, we also offer specific, tailored advice on how you can manage your condition, so that you don’t fall back into old habits!
The following images demonstrate some of these treatment options.
If your text neck is bothering you, book your appointment with us at 62084669 or wecare@mychirocare.sg—we’ll be here to help you fix your issues and achieve greater comfort!