Text neck is a modern ailment that is affecting more and more people every year. Text neck is pain and stiffness in the neck and cervical spine that can also radiate into the shoulders caused by looking down at a mobile phone or tablet screen for long periods of time. It might not sound serious, but text neck is actually a repetitive stress injury that can cause a lot of pain and long term damage to the cervical spine.
Think about how many times each day you reach for your phone. Most people grab for their phones as soon as they wake up and are looking at the screens at least 2-4 times an hour every hour until they go to bed. And often the phone is the last thing people put down at night once they get into bed. All that looking down can really take a toll on your neck and spine. Here are 5 easy ways that you reverse text neck and keep your neck and shoulder pain free:
Fix Your Posture
Make sure that your posture is correct when you’re not looking at your phone so that your body is in alignment as much as it can be. Stretching exercises like the ones found in yoga and Pilates are fantastic for reversing text neck. Do some yoga or Pilates stretches for head and neck every day.
Use a Foam Roller
Invest in a foam roller and perform foam roller stretches at night and first thing in the morning to loosen up your neck and shoulder muscles. This will help you maintain your range of motion and not be damaged by looking down at your phone.
Put The Phone Away
The best way to reverse text neck is to put your phone away occasionally. This will also help you relax more and make it easier for you to focus and to relax. At night don’t put the phone right next to your bed. Put it across the room or in another room altogether. That way you won’t be reaching for it all through the night and first thing in the morning. It will help you sleep better too.
Go Hands Free
Use wireless technology that will let you get your voicemail and text messages with a hands free headset. That way you don’t need to look down at your phone in order to get important messages or check your email and texts.
See A Chiropractor Regularly
Getting regular spinal adjustments from a chiropractor will help eliminate text neck by keeping your spine strong and healthy. Call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cheree Sandness-Johnson at the Chiropractic Healing Center today.
