Text Neck Is Ruining Your Posture, and Here's How to Fix It

If you have been in any place that required you to wait or be idle for a while, you will notice that almost everyone is on their phone. It could be at the bank, the subway, the hospital, or any other place. Phones have become a major part of life of every society today. It keeps you connected with your family, friends, and peers. Despite their usefulness, phones come with some side effects. 

Using a phone often requires bending over at the base of the neck. It is an unnatural position for your body and can lead to several complications. One of these complications is poor posture. You may not notice the effects as they develop, but you will start noticing specific changes when they have advanced. One of the most common is aching back and neck muscles. 

Text Neck - What Causes It?

According to studies, the average American spends several hours each day staring at a digital screen. In a year, that is about 700 hours. When you spend so much time staring at a device, your neck is bound to experience a lot of pressure and weight. It affects not only your neck but also your shoulders and upper back. 
 

When your head is held upright, its weight is held and supported by the spine. When you are in this posture, the muscles in your neck are not under any unnecessary strain. But the moment your head leans forward, your neck, shoulders, and upper back experience strain. Their muscles try to compensate for the weight of your head. Their action leads to text neck symptoms and bad posture.

How Do You Fix Text Neck?

Here are several strategies you can implement to correct and avoid text neck.
 

• Keep Your Chin Up

As mentioned above, the weight of your head is best supported by your spine. It exerts between 10 to 12 pounds on your neck when it is in the proper position. When you lean your head forward, your head's weight on your neck increases significantly. At a 15-degree angle, it exerts 27 pounds and a staggering 60 pounds at a 60-degree angle. 

One way to ensure that your neck and body do not bear up all this extra weight is to practice keeping your chin up. By doing so, the weight of your head will fall squarely on your spine. 
 

• Keep Your Shoulders Relaxed

One of the first changes to your posture due to text neck is drooping and rounded shoulders. The position of the shoulders also affects the distribution of the weight on your spine and neck. Keep your shoulders pulled back and relaxed for the best posture.
 

• Imagine a Rope

One of the ways to ensure that you keep your chin up and your shoulders back and relaxed is to imagine a rope pulling on your head. Visualizing this will help you keep good posture as you walk, and it will also help reduce the effects of text neck.
 

• Raise Your Phone to Eye Level

It may not be as comfortable as having your phone lower, but raising your phone to your eye level is good for your posture. It will mean your arms get tired more, but your neck and back will be healthy.

For more on text neck, visit Well Adjusted at our office in Brooklyn, New York. Call (718) 568-6228​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ to book an appointment today.