Tech Neck
Stretches & Exercises - Chin Tucks and Wall Crosses
A common problem I see at my office is tech neck — joint and muscle irritation and inflammation from leaning forward looking at screens. It happens with excess smartphone, laptop or desktop computer use. When your head leans forward it puts extra weight on the joints in your neck and the muscles that anchor in your upper back and shoulders. This can create a cross of tight and weak muscles. Common complaints include a stiff neck, muscle spasms, pain between the shoulder blades and headaches. It can even lead to intermittent numbness in your arms and hands.
If you have any symptoms, it is important to get a diagnosis from a trained health professional after completing a thorough history and examination. You can prevent tech neck with proper posture, an ergonomic desk setup, taking micro-breaks from computer work and doing exercises to counteract any strains placed on your body. Simple pre-habilitation exercises for tech neck help prevent injury whether they are traumatic or repetitive injury and include chin tucks and isometric shoulder extensions. Isometric translates to ‘same length,’ essentially the muscle stays the same length during the contraction and therefore won’t move. These exercises need only a wall and consistency and should be performed in 2 sets of 10 reps, over 2 seconds each, 1-2 times daily. Chin tucks are a simple retraction of your chin without flexing your neck. It is essentially giving yourself a double chin. Isometric shoulder extensions activate your lower traps. Lean your back against a wall with your feet one foot away. Spread your arms out at a 45-degree angle from your waist. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold your arms rigid. The force will travel through your arms and hands into the wall pushing you forward slightly. Squeezing your shoulder blades may give you a sensation of tension in your mid back.
If you have any symptoms, it is important to get a diagnosis from a trained health professional after completing a thorough history and examination. You can prevent tech neck with proper posture, an ergonomic desk setup, taking micro-breaks from computer work and doing exercises to counteract any strains placed on your body. Simple pre-habilitation exercises for tech neck help prevent injury whether they are traumatic or repetitive injury and include chin tucks and isometric shoulder extensions. Isometric translates to ‘same length,’ essentially the muscle stays the same length during the contraction and therefore won’t move. These exercises need only a wall and consistency and should be performed in 2 sets of 10 reps, over 2 seconds each, 1-2 times daily. Chin tucks are a simple retraction of your chin without flexing your neck. It is essentially giving yourself a double chin. Isometric shoulder extensions activate your lower traps. Lean your back against a wall with your feet one foot away. Spread your arms out at a 45-degree angle from your waist. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold your arms rigid. The force will travel through your arms and hands into the wall pushing you forward slightly. Squeezing your shoulder blades may give you a sensation of tension in your mid back.
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