Preventing "Text Neck"

At Cleary Family Chiropractic, we see a lot of patients straining their back and neck by looking down at the screen on their device.  You may have even heard this being called “text neck”. The average adult head weighs between 10 and 12 pounds, and neck muscles are meant to support the weight of the head in a neutral position.  Looking down at a screen increases the strain on your neck, as if your neck is carrying a lot more weight.  Tilting your head forward just 15 degrees adds enough force to double the weight your neck is supporting, and the greater the angle, the greater strain.  Many people who text with their chin near the neck are tilting the head forward 60 degrees, which increases the load to about 60 pounds! The good news is we can make smarter choices about how to use devices every day to reduce strain on our bodies.


Starting with good posture will always reduce strain on your neck.  Sit up straight with your shoulders lined up above your hips and your head upright. Hold your phone or device up higher rather than looking further down to see what is on your screen.  If you work on a computer a lot, position your monitor at eye level to avoid looking up or down too much. Stretching your neck is also important to reduce the risk of painful strain.  When your neck muscles are strong and flexible, it is less likely to have a spasm.  There are mobile apps available that can alert you when your phone is being held at a bad angle for your neck, and you can also set reminders on your device to take breaks from looking at the screen and to stretch throughout the day. Remember these tips when using your devices!


To learn about all the services provided at our practice, visit chiropractor-woodstock.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Matt Cleary of Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock, GA call 678-494-9668. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips for Avoiding Back Pain at the Office

People who sit all day have high rates of back pain. This isn’t surprising, since not only is it hard to get enough exercise while working in an office, but many people also don’t understand how to properly support their backs. At Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock, we relieve people’s back pain, but we want everyone to increase their overall wellness by taking better care of themselves. We thought we'd offer a few pointers regarding office ergonomics. While sitting at a computer, you want to avoid slouching forward or backward into your chair. Position your desk and chair height so that when your feet are flat on the floor and your back is straight, your monitor is directly at eye level. Your elbows should be at ninety degree angles when your hands are resting on the desktop. You should be able to sit all the way back in the chair, so your lower back is supported by the chair’s back cushion. Don’t have anything in your back pockets while you’re sitting, and place your armres
Read more

Spinal Decompression

At Cleary Family Chiropractic, we heal patients dealing with problematic spinal discs using spinal decompression therapy.  Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a safe, targeted treatment for any herniated discs in a patient’s spine or nerves.  Injured discs in the neck and back cause pain, but can also affect the rest of the body.  Herniated discs often have a direct impact on the central nervous system, causing more pain to the extremities.  Our doctors can determine if spinal decompression is an appropriate solution for your pain. Spinal decompression is performed with equipment that resembles a table but has moving parts.  Patients lie on their back or stomach, depending on the location of the issue, and are attached to the equipment with padded straps so distraction forces can be applied to the spine.  A typical treatment alternates between applying distraction forces to the vertebrae and periods of partial relaxation.  The result is the vertebrae slowly and gently separati
Read more

Warm Ups and Cool Downs

We talk a lot about preventing overuse injuries, but exercise is essential for a healthy body. You need a strong core to support your back and flexible hips to avoid pulling on your lumbar spine. So how do you minimize the risk of strain? Every exercise has its proper form, and we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock want everyone experiencing back pain to get the approval of one of our biomechanical experts before engaging in a work-out. But one feature every routine has in common is properly warming up and cooling down. When your muscles have blood pumping through them, they are less likely to be strained or frayed. But stretching a muscle while it’s still cold puts it at much greater risk. Warm up stretches should be dynamic, meaning they should increase blood flow to a muscle while loosening it. Part of the reason for yoga’s popularity is that there are a lot of poses that do this. Other dynamic stretches include arm and hip circles, butt kicks, lunges, and leg swings. It wi
Read more