The neck is designed to support the average adult head weighing about 10 to 12 pounds. In its normal upright position, the cervical spine can sustain this weight. However, tilting your head down for long periods of time can increase the weight of your head drastically. Many of us have become guilty of this, with the advent of smartphones and tablets. Thus, the newly-coined term text neck was born. Text neck is caused by these poor posture habits resulting in increased muscle strain, injury to your spine and chronic pain.
So, how do you prevent text neck? Surely we aren't going to give up our beloved smartphones. The simple solution is to learn how to maneuver our bodies properly while using the technology.
Here are 3 ways you can help beat text neck:
1. Neck Stretches
Start by sitting in a chair or on the floor. Bring your chin down toward your chest and slowly roll it to the right and rest your ear on your right shoulder. Repeat this on the left and slowly roll your head in a clockwise rotation. Do this three times and repeat in a counterclockwise rotation. You should feel this stretch in your neck and upper back.
2. Practice Healthy Habits of Daily Living
It's important to make sure that you're taking the necessary precautions to keep your back safe during the day. Visit our Back to Basics section on our site to find informative videos like the one below. If you keep your back safe, it will continue to support you for years to come.
3. Get Up and Move
We can't stress this enough! Put down your device, turn off your computer and move around at least every hour. Stretch your neck, back and legs, and be sure to stay hydrated. We get so caught up in playing and working on our phones that we often forget that our bodies need to move and maintain good posture to remain healthy. It may be difficult at first to step away from what you're doing, but it is very important for your overall health.
Back and neck pain is more common than the average cold, so take the necessary steps to keep your spine safe and healthy. Your wellbeing should come before any game level you're trying to achieve, or any unanswered email staring back at you from your inbox. Remember to move often, maintain good posture and stretch your muscles to help prevent the development of spinal conditions. By following these simple steps, you can beat text neck at its own game.
