From working on a laptop all day at work to unwinding by playing video games at night, our neck is bearing the brunt of all of this. You may have noticed some pain, soreness, and tension in your neck. Well, there’s a name for that – tech neck.
Orthopedic spine surgeon at “Mount Sinai Hospital” James Lin explains, “Tech neck refers to pain caused by poor ergonomics associated with using cellphones, laptops, and tablets. Think of your head as a ball that a seal is balancing on the tip of its nose.”
Lin goes on to say that when it’s aligned perfectly — when you’re looking straight ahead — it doesn’t take much force to keep it there. “When you bend your head forward,” he adds. “However, the muscles in your neck have to work overtime to hold your head in position, which can ultimately cause neck pain and spasms.”Here are some hints on keeping things straight:
- Take tech breaks.
- Implement chin tucks twice a day. (Yes, make a double chin.)
- Elevate your workspace and bring your screen to eye level.
- Adjust how you sit to keep your back and neck in a neutral position.
- Use ice packs for initial pain, then switch to heat packs.
- Strengthen your back muscles through exercise, like planks.
- Do door frame stretches to relieve tightness.
- Massage the affected area.
- Use retinol if you want to reduce any fine lines.
- Get adequate sleep.
Source:Huffington Post
Photo: Getty Images