Last year, the Scientific American revealed that adults spend an average of 9 hours and 22 minutes of the day staring at a screen of some sort – including smartphones, computers, and television. Other reports have claimed the young children spend around 2 hours a day staring at a screen and that number only increases as the child gets older.

The Screen Effect On Your Spine

All of this time staring down at your phone, hunched over at your computer, or looking down at your iPad can have a huge impact on your spine. This posture imposes more weight on the cervical spine, the part of the spine in the neck and shoulders. The average human head weighs approximately 12 pounds but bending the neck downward even slightly while texting can increase the weight strain on your cervical spine to as much as 60 pounds of pressure at a 60-degree tilt. The greater the tilt, the greater the burden.
As a result, more and more people are suffering from the strain on the neck and shoulders, resulting in a hunched posture. All of these elements combined is known as “tech neck” and can incite various symptoms of pain and tension on the upper back and neck. On the lighter end, people can suffer from neck pain and knots in their neck and shoulders. On the extreme end, this kind of strain can result in a pinched nerve or disc damage.

How to Prevent Tech Neck

The easiest piece of advice would be to reduce time in front of the screens. Although technology is becoming increasingly intertwined with our daily jobs, there are other ways to reduce your time. Instead of taking your laptop to a meeting, try bringing a notebook. The easiest place to make a change is in your home. Try your best to keep your self from idly scrolling through social media apps while watching television or spending time with your family. Not only will the reduction of screen time allow you to spend more quality time with your family, but it will help you sleep better too!

Chiropractic Treatments for Tech Neck

If you’re finding yourself struggling through the day because of neck and upper back pain, chiropractic treatment can help you find relief and get your posture back in order. Experienced chiropractors at Tuck Clinic can do more than just adjust an unbalanced spine. We can also recommend helpful stretches and exercise to counteract the strain placed on your spine and shoulders and improve your posture.
Contact Tuck Chiropractic Clinic with any questions or to schedule an appointment for your initial assessment.