Text Neck: How Mobile Devices Harm Your Spine & How Chiropractic Helps

Understanding Text Neck

What Is Text Neck?

Text neck, also known as tech neck, refers to musculoskeletal symptoms caused by excessive mobile device use. Prolonged neck flexion while looking down at handheld devices increases stress on the cervical spine, leading to tight muscles, neck pain, and shoulder pain.

How Poor Posture Affects the Cervical Spine

For every inch the head moves forward, the pressure on the neck muscles and upper back doubles. This significantly increases the risk factors for:

• Chronic pain and tension-type headaches
• Permanent arthritic damage to the spinal column
• Stiff neck, muscle tightness, and reduced postural control

Children, adolescents, and young adults face an increased risk due to prolonged static postures from excessive usage of handheld devices.

Preventing and Relieving Text Neck Pain

Maintain Proper Posture

To prevent text neck syndrome, keep your head posture neutral:

• Hold devices at eye level - avoiding neck flexion
• Take frequent breaks - stand, stretch, and reset posture every 30 minutes
• Set up an ergonomic workspace - align your screen at eye level
• Use voice commands - minimise prolonged typing and overuse syndrome

Effective Exercises for Text Neck Relief

• Chin Tucks (Improves forward head posture)
• Sit upright, pull the chin back to align over the spinal column
• Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times
• Shoulder Rolls & Scapular Squeezes (Relieves neck and shoulder pain)
• Roll shoulders forward and backward
• Squeeze shoulder blades together, hold for 5 seconds
• Neck Stretches & Child’s Pose (Reduces musculoskeletal symptoms)
• Tilt the head side to side, holding for 15-30 seconds
• Stretch arms forward in Child’s Pose to ease tight muscles
  

Chiropractic Care for Text Neck

Comprehensive Chiropractic Treatment

At One Spine Chiropractic, we take a holistic approach to treat text neck. Our team conducts postural assessments, spinal adjustments, and cervical decompression therapy to restore postural control and reduce musculoskeletal pain.

• Chiropractic Adjustments (Diversified Technique)
• Restores proper posture and reduces stresses on the neck and shoulder
• Enhances neuromuscular coordination and upper extremities function
• Cervical Decompression
• Relieves text neck pain by gently stretching the spinal column
• Improves cervical spine health by alleviating nerve pressure
• Multi-Modal Therapy
• Shockwave Therapy - Uses acoustic waves to break down adhesions, promote tissue healing, and relieve chronic pain
• Soft Tissue Therapy - Targets tight muscles for flexibility
• Ultrasound Therapy - Reduces inflammation from musculoskeletal neck pain
• Electrical Stimulation (ESTEM) - Enhances circulation for pain relief

Long-Term Strategies for Text Neck Prevention

If text neck symptoms persist, a physical examination with a chiropractor can help identify musculoskeletal symptoms before they worsen. Early diagnosis prevents chronic pain and permanent arthritic damage.

At One Spine Chiropractic, we provide personalised chiropractic care to help patients regain postural control and prevent health problems caused by prolonged static postures.

Take proactive steps today and schedule a chiropractic consultation to prevent text neck and maintain lifelong spinal health.