Many of you may have read the Washington Post article on “Text Neck”. What is Text Neck? Text neck refers to neck pain we develop from increased loads/stress on the joints in our neck while constantly looking down at our texts on our phone. This pain gets compounded by constantly being on a computer for work, playing video games, or reading/studying for extended periods of time. The good news is that there are several ways of erasing the effects of text neck.
To treat text neck we can work on several things including spinal mobility, periscapular strengthening, posture, ergonomics, and activity modification. Manual therapy to loosen your muscles and joints can help you to achieve a more upright position thereby decreasing the loads your spine takes with forward head positions. Being aware of good posture and strengthening the muscles around your shoulder blades can make it easier to hold good postures decreasing the amount of time your spine is stressed with increased loads. We can work on the ergonomics of your desk, through pictures or videos, by rearranging your workstation to allow you you to stay in more neutral postures while working. By working on activity modification, such as raising your phone to decrease the bending of your neck, we can make you aware of positions that can aggravate your neck.
Text neck and similar neck issues are a frequent problem and something we treat almost everyday. If you have text neck and would like some relief or would like to try to avoid similar issues please contact us.
To read the Washington Post article follow the link below:
Jamie Bovay
Atlas Physical Therapy
303-832-3700