Have You Heard The Term Text Neck?
Text neck is defined as a “repetitive stress injury or an overuse syndrome where a person has his/her head hung or flexed in a forward position and is bent down looking to his/her electronic device prolonged periods of time”(2).
Symptoms
Shoulder And Neck Pain
Any changes in the normal position of the head. Such as poor posture of the head, forward and downward looking can cause neck and shoulder pain.
Headaches And Dizziness
Caused by neck tension.
Spinal Disc Herniation
The flex in forward position pulls the spine out of its proper alignment resulting in disc damage.
Treatment
Let your CBR Massage therapists tailor a treatment plan for you. This plan can include:
- Massage which helps to alleviate the pain and stiffness of the neck.
- Myofascial release which is a stretch to soft tissue in determinate direction, force and duration to release tissue restrictions.
- Posture education to help improve the posture to maintain the natural curves of the neck.
- Exercises and stretching which helps to eliminate the pain.
Prevention
In order to prevent text neck, people need to be mindful of their posture when they are using electronic devices. Instead of looking down for long periods of time try to keep your head in a neutral position and hold the device at eye level when possible. Also remember to take frequent break to stretch your neck and shoulders(3).
References
1. Hansraj.Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head . Neuro and Spine Surgery.Surgical Technology International XXV
2. Thiyagarajan, S., & Telegbal, S. V. (2015). Text Neck: Is it a New Term for Physiotherapist?. Indian Journal of Medical & Health Sciences, 2(2), 119.
3.Ames, H., & Varma A. (2023). What to know about text neck syndrome. Medical News Today. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday/articles/text-neck-syndrome