Apparently there’s a condition out there called “text neck” that is caused by looking down at phones and handheld devices too regularly for far too long. Could this be you? Aching in your upper back, rounded shoulders with a protruding neck, neck pain and even headaches? In a world that revolves around technology, adults and children alike are obsessed with tinkering on gadgets which unnaturally means bending their necks to drop their heads forward on a regular basis for long periods of time.

People carry out their lives on text, social media and email. On average, smartphone users tend to spend between 2 and 4 hours a day with their heads bent forward. Over time this causes a massive amount of excessive stress around the neck and cervical spine.

Did you know the head weighs approximately 10-12 pounds? Your spine, in a correct and upright posture is able to handle this weight, however, with your head bent forward, you disrupt the normal alignment of your spinal structure. Think about the impact that this will have on your upper back and base of your neck when you are constantly slumped with your head down? This posture can add more stress to your structure and cause pain.

This could be pain in the neck, a trapped nerve or tingling down the arm. When you drop your chin on to your chest for long periods of time you over-stretch the whole structure.

We always say that prevention is better than cure so by holding your phone at eye level, taking regular breaks and ensuring good ergonomics with your posture when using phones and laptops will all help to halt the onset of text neck.