Hunching over devices for so much of the day is leading to Text Neck or Tech Neck in young people, with children experiencing pain and tightness in their neck and shoulders, creating more demand for physiotherapy. Jodie Walters, Specialist Physiotherapist in Spinal and Paediatrics at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, explains the impact of Tech Neck in children and young people and provides tips for overcoming it.
At ROH we’re seeing an increasing number of young people being referred to physiotherapy for Tech Neck syndrome, a term coined for the overuse of the neck in a curved position when looking at a tech device.
Nowadays children are engaging with technology and handheld devices from an ever-younger age. Tablets loaded with games and learning tools in bright colours are used to keep young children entertained, from as young as 2 in some cases. It’s becoming the norm for children towards the end of primary school to be given a mobile phone, in part as a safety measure as they walk to and from school. Secondary school students have more time on computers during the school day than 20 years ago and homework is often done on a laptop. Then there’s the continued popularity of games consoles like XBOX and PlayStation which see so many young people plugged into well into the evening.
The long term and repeated hunching over tech devices can result in over-load, muscle imbalance, pain and irritation. While the spine is designed to move and carry weight, it may not like being in one position for a long time.
This issue is compounded by the higher volume of inactivity that we see. There is a group of under 18s that spend lots of time in static postures. Part of that is technology – sitting looking down at an iPad or phone or tablet for a prolonged period of time which is made worse that they’re often in schools sitting for long periods in lessons, revising for exams, etc. In previous generations, the effects of sitting at school and revising would have been counteracted by being much more active after school. But we’re now seeing more and more young people inactive at home as well on their tablets, phones and video games. The problem is this becomes habit forming – and habits can be hard to break.
Breaking the cycle of Tech Neck
Now removing technology from the mix is simply not feasible, but there are things young people can do to stop Tech Neck from taking over their lives.
Being in these positions is not necessarily a problem, you can sit slumped for a bit – it’s the length of time that makes the difference. Tissues in our bodies are not designed to be in that strain for long lengths of time. So, what can help break the cycle of those postures?
Breaks with movement
Every 30 minutes try and get in some exercise or stretches and counter act those periods of inactivity with activity.
If you are given exercises by your physiotherapist – do them! These exercises will help strengthen your neck and shoulder muscles and they’ll also help with your mobility.
Relaxation
Relaxation can be a hugely helpful tool. Young people need a lot of rest and recovery but don’t always get enough sleep if they’re up late, so relaxation not only helps with pain and tension, it can improve the quality of sleep too.
Check your set up
It’s important to consider how you are sitting when on a device – can you adjust your desk higher so your laptop or computer is in your eyeline? Adjusting your seat position can bring benefits here too.
The rise of Tech Neck among youth highlights a significant health concern in our digital age. Prolonged use of handheld devices would cause repeated sustained postures which could cause shoulder and neck pain. Mitigating these effects is crucial through regular breaks, physiotherapy exercises, relaxation techniques, and ergonomic adjustments. By adopting these strategies, young people can maintain better posture and spinal health, ensuring technology is a helpful tool rather than a source of strain.
