I massage all sorts of people in my work as a Kneader Onsite Massage therapist, both in offices and at events, so I see every make and model of adult. No matter how varied their lives, they increasingly have one thing in common – the discomfort of ‘Tech Neck’, also known as ‘Text Neck’. This article will detail tech neck solutions.
My clients always seem surprised that their condition not only has a name but is also shared in epidemic proportions. Although Smartphones and tablets have been a part of our lives for some time, it has taken several years for the physical effects of constantly looking at a screens to trickle down into affecting our daily wellbeing.
Tech Neck Solutions
- DO get up and move. Ideally, you should move about for a minimum of 5 minutes of every hour you sit. Sitting is now the new smoking in that it is extremely damaging to your health.
- DO stretch. Little and often throughout your day can work wonders. Exercise is great but I am always shocked at how many people will work out 90 minutes and then return to their desks. They do not move for the next six hours! Really, really, really – it is so important to be limber because even gym bunnies can pull a muscle or put out their backs if they don’t stretch regularly.
- DO get regular massage! Yep, it really does work and feels great, which is why I’m on a mission for everyone to own a Kneader at home for quick and easy 5-10 minutes of home massage a day. Of course, nothing will ever replace a professional giving you a session, so I suggest a mixture of both, which is why I also get regular massage. Yes, me! I practise what I preach and make sure I get regular chair massage from colleagues.
- DO give yourself mini-massages. My award winning massage tool the Kneader is a powerful but simple massage tool you can keep in your desk draw. When you’re feeling stiff, just whip it out, and use the pointed ends on your shoulder. Read more about how to use the Kneader here.
- DO remember “Boobs to the sky”! Sitting hunched you over shortens your pectorals and causes what I call ‘crab shoulders”. Get proud about your chest and reach it towards the sky. It will open up your pecs, pull your shoulders back and set your head and gaze straight, which is the way we are meant to be.
- DO read with your eyes, not your neck. Seriously, the constant tilting of the neck down is bad news for your body. Either hold your device up to your natural eye level or tilt your eyes down whilst keeping your head upright.
The Tech Neck Problem
This excellent Washington Post article fully illustrates the pressure put on the neck and spine when we check our phones. Slouching at a desk or on a sofa for hours on end has the same effect. We will be hearing more about tech neck because we cannot put the IT genie back in the bottle. Technology has taken centre stage, making our lives more sedentary, which is not what we were physically designed for. This disparity is proving costly. However, following my tech neck solutions will help you.
