Exercises To Help Ease 'Tech Neck' Pain

You've seen it before. People sitting on public transportation, waiting in line to get coffee, out at dinner, at the supermarket — holding their phone and staring down at the screen. You might be doing it right now as you read this. 

"Tech neck," also sometimes called "text neck," refers to the act of looking down at an electronic device — like a phone, tablet, or computer screen — and the pain that results from that prolonged stress (via Health Matters). On average, Americans spend seven hours each day on electronic devices, which includes about three hours and 43 minutes on their phone, and over half of that time scrolling through social media (via Comparitech). And for those that work on a computer all day, the numbers are higher. 

"Tech neck" occurs because as you look down, the muscles in your neck have to hold up your head — the longer you are gazing down, the harder those muscles have to work. Eventually, these muscles get tired and sore from being overworked. "Tech neck" can result in muscle soreness, stiffness, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, pain in the upper back, tingling or numbness in your hands, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, and even affect your posture (via Everyday Health). 

If you suffer from "tech neck," Dr. K. Daniel Kiew advises to seek help from a doctor or physical therapist first, instead of going directly to a surgeon. Over time, if left unaddressed, "tech neck" can lead to arthritis, or bulging or ruptured discs, which can pinch a nerve and sometimes require surgery (via Everyday Health). There are many exercises you can practice to help relieve "tech neck" pain. Always check in with your doctor or physical therapist before starting an exercise program, especially if you've had a recent injury, or have been diagnosed with scoliosis, a herniated disc or spinal fracture (via Livestrong).

First of all, it's important to get aerobic activity every week, like biking, running, swimming, or using an elliptical. Just make sure you choose an activity that doesn't aggravate your neck pain. Cardio can help with "tech neck" because this type of exercise increases your oxygen intake, heart rate and blood circulation — all of which can help to reduce muscle pain and inflammation (via Health Matters). Plus, after 30 minutes of sustained cardio, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that stimulate your body's opiate receptors that help reduce pain (via Spine Health). 

Another stretch you can try is an exaggerated nod. This exercise offsets the movement of "tech neck" by requiring you to pull your shoulders down and back, and is basically the exact opposite of gazing down at your screen — it involves gazing up toward the sky. The movement can help increase your neck mobility and decrease neck pain. To practice, you can begin sitting or standing. Focus on relaxing your posture and releasing tension in your shoulders before starting. Begin with your mouth gently closed, so that your teeth are touching but your jaw is not clenched. 

Slowly start to look up, keeping your mouth closed. When you can't look up any further, stay here and softly release your jaw — opening your mouth and allowing gravity to pull your jaw downward. After this, keep your mouth open and try to tilt your head back a little bit further — but don't force it. Then, pause here and slowly close your mouth. You should feel a stretch in the front of your neck, near your throat (via Healthline). 

Many yoga poses can help relieve neck pain because they involve both stretching and strengthening many of the surrounding muscles. Cobra pose helps stretch the back of the neck and can offset the imbalance "tech neck" often creates in the body (via Everyday Health). To practice cobra pose, begin lying down on your stomach with your legs hip-width apart and the tops of your feet resting on the ground. You may want to lie on a soft surface, or yoga mat if you have one. Bend the elbows and place your palms on the floor next to your ribs. As you inhale, engage your glutes and begin to slowly lift your head and upper chest off the ground, looking straight down at the ground and only slightly supporting yourself with your hands. Healthline advises to stay here if you have low back issues or neck pain — this is called low cobra. 

If you would like to move into full cobra, press into your palms and straighten your arms, without locking the elbows. Lift your stomach off the ground and look forward, focusing on lengthening your spine and the back of your neck. Stay in the pose for 15-30 seconds, then release.

Sphinx pose is helpful for stretching the muscles in your low back, chest, and shoulders. It is a good preparatory pose to practice before going into cobra pose, according to Yoga Journal. To practice sphinx pose, start by lying on your stomach with your legs straight, side-by-side, and the tops of your feet resting on the ground. Put your elbows on the ground underneath your shoulders, and rest your forearms and palms face down on the ground. Make sure your forearms are parallel to each other. Press into your elbows to lift your chest up. 

Squeeze your thighs and glutes to press your hips into the ground and focus on lengthening your spine and relaxing your shoulders. You should feel a stretch in your low back muscles, with no pain — if you feel any discomfort, come out of the pose. Try to hold this shape for at least 30 seconds, then release (via SELF). 

The extended puppy pose helps to stretch the muscles in your back, chest, and shoulders and is a combination of child's pose and downward-facing dog. It also can stretch your glutes — tight hips and glutes can sometimes be linked to neck pain (via SELF). To practice this pose, start on your hands and knees with your hands underneath shoulders and knees under hips. Tuck your toes and begin to slowly move your hands forward, extending your arms straight and pressing palms into the ground as you focus on pulling your hips back toward your heels. 

Try to keep your arms engaged, continually reaching them away from you and keeping your elbows off the ground. Rest your forehead on the ground and try to relax the muscles in your neck. Stay in this shape for 30 seconds to one minute, breathing deeply (via Yoga Journal). 

Thread-the-needle is a gentle pose that helps stretch your shoulders and chest, which can reduce neck pain and tension as well as increase mobility (via Livestrong). To practice this exercise, start on your hands and knees, with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees under hips. Extend your right arm underneath and across your body, moving it in between your left arm and left thigh. Rest your right arm on the ground with your palm facing up. Slowly start to bend your left arm, and rest your right shoulder and the right side of your head on the ground. Slightly lean toward the right until you feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder. Hold for one deep round of breath, in and out, then gently return to hands and knees. Continue this movement for at least 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat (via SELF).     

Child's pose is an iconic yoga pose that not only promotes stress relief and releases muscle tension, but it stretches the entire trapezius, the muscles in the back of your neck and shoulders. To practice this posture, start on your hands and knees. If you're on a yoga mat, move your knees toward the outer edges of your mat — if not, just slide your knees so they are a little wider than your hips. Bring your feet together behind you so that your big toes are touching. Move your hips toward your heels, then fold forward, extending your arms out straight to rest along the ground. 

Rest your stomach on your thighs and your forehead on the ground. You should feel the muscles in your shoulders and back activate, as well as your hips and glutes. Gently push your chest toward the floor as you reach your fingers forward. Stay in this shape for at least 30 seconds, breathing deeply (via SELF). Imagine all of your stress melting out of your body and your muscle tension dripping away.