Interested in getting rid of tech neck? This is something anyone who spends time in front of a screen should consider. Learning how to get rid of tech neck is becoming a bigger and bigger issue as our society relies on technology more and more.
Think about it - you probably spend 8 hours a day using a computer at work. Then you go home and watch TV, finish up work on your laptop, or play video games. All this technology takes it's toll on us - and in more ways than one. So today, we are going to help you understand how to manage the tech neck pain and re-establish the good posture you used to have.
Whether you spend all day sitting at a desk in an office staring at your desktop monitor, or you always have your phone shoved in your face - one thing is true. We're immersed in technology. Kids are learning to walk with an iPhone or tablet in their hands, while the vast majority of our workforce spends more and more time relying on technology. For the most part, this is great - it unlocks greater efficiency, and allows us to all stay connected no matter where we're at in the world.
However, the upper back and neck pain associated with spending 8-10 hours a day in front of a screen is not one of the benefits of tech. With that said - it's almost an inevitability. Throughout the rest of this article, you're going to learn everything you need to know about getting rid of tech neck to help you feel better as soon as possible. Let's not waste any more time. We'll start with a definition for those who aren't as familiar with this painful, unsightly condition.
What Is Tech Neck?
By the name alone, you can surmise that tech neck is a condition caused by technology that affects the neck. To get a bit more specific, it's characterized as a type of forward head posture. You know it when you see it, as it's incredibly unsightly.
Not only do those affected exhibit forward head posture, but this condition can result in lines or wrinkles on the neck area. When many people ask how to get rid of tech neck, we learn that they're primarily embarrassed by these ugly lines on their skin.
But aside from just presenting yourself poorly, you can also expect significant neck pain and tightness in the neck muscles. This sometimes radiates into other surrounding muscle groups in the upper body, like your shoulders & shoulder blades, traps, and even pectoral muscles. For some people, this condition can even result in jaw pain! Tech neck also results in headaches in certain individuals, which can often develop into migraines. Let's take a look at some of the risk factors of this condition.
Who Is At Risk Of Developing Tech Neck?
It goes without saying that those who spend more time using technology are at an increased likelihood of suffering from this condition. Anyone who uses a smartphone or computer on a daily basis will show at least some symptoms from tech neck, whether it be forward head posture or headaches. This goes for those who use computers all day or those who spend hours scrolling their social media feeds
Even if you don't spend hours on your phone every day, or work an office 9-5 sitting in front of a computer, you may still be at risk of developing tech neck, however. Technology isn't just limited to computers and smartphones - any technology you spend a better portion of the day looking at and interacting with can contribute to this condition.
Can You Treat Tech Neck?
If you've been suffering from this uncomfortable ailment, you're no doubt looking for answers as to whether tech neck is reversible or not. Can you treat tech neck pain and the horizontal lines accompanied by it?
The good news? Yes, tech neck is entirely reversible. Just as you can develop bad posture, you can redevelop good posture. It's just going to require some lifestyle changes and a commitment to training your neck. And that's what we really want to focus on today - how to actually get rid of tech neck once and for all, and get back to feeling how you did in the good old days.
And, in terms of eliminating the smooth wrinkles on your neck skin, you can just apply some skincare magic to the affected area. Over time, these lines and wrinkles will start to diminish. But in our opinion, the pain and immobility associated with tech neck are of much more concern than the lines and wrinkles on the skin on your neck. So, without any further ado, here is how to get rid of tech neck once and for all.
How To Get Rid Of Tech Neck & Optimize Your Posture Through Lifestyle Modifications
We're going to break up our guide on how to get rid of tech neck into two different parts - lifestyle modifications and actively training your neck to be stronger and more resilient. You can pick and choose different methods and exercises we're going to share with you below, but for best results, we recommend you follow this guide as it's written in its entirety.
If you only make the lifestyle modifications and forgo the exercises, you're not going to alleviate neck pain and improve posture to the extent you could. And, the same is true if you just rely on the exercises and don't make modifications to your lifestyle. You'll be swimming upstream, as they say.
With that said, lifestyle modifications are easy and can make an immediate impact on your posture. Let's start there.
Limit Technology Use As Much As Possible
We know that the main risk factor for tech neck is excessive technology use. So, combatting the condition is actually super simple - just limit your technology use. Right? Like it or not, technology is here to stay. But wherever you can limit your use, you should. If you work a job where this isn't feasible, you should try to limit your use after hours.
Don't spend 8 hours at work looking at your laptop, and then come home and play video games for another 4 hours. Use technology as a tool - not a treat. Anytime you find yourself using your phone, laptop, or TV - ask yourself how many hours you've spent looking at a screen. You can also ask yourself how productive what you're doing is. More often than not, you don't need to be doing what you're doing, and would be well served using your free time to read a book, move your body, or interact with other humans in person!
We know what you're thinking - what about the 8 hours a day I spend on screens at work? Well, you can't get away from your obligations. But what you can do is optimize your workspace to eliminate tech neck. Make sure your screen is perfectly aligned with your eyes. This will prevent you from craning your neck up or down. You should also make sure you take frequent breaks throughout the work day.
Take Frequent Breaks Throughout The Work Day
Of course, some of us are just not going to be able to get away from technology. It's integrated into your lives through the work we do. You can still dampen the effects it has on your posture and neck health by taking frequent breaks throughout the day. The longer you spend in one position, the deeper that position becomes engrained into your posture.
If you spend hours a day in a seated position looking at a screen in front of you, it's only natural that your head & chin start drifting further and further out. This results in excessive neck extension, which in turn, results in pain, discomfort, and poor posture this condition is notorious for.
You can break this pattern by spending no more than an hour at a time in front of your screen. Set a timer if you need to, and get up, get outside, and move around for 15 minutes for every hour you spend using technology.
This will interrupt the forward head posture, and get your blood moving - which helps improve your posture as well.
Take Constant Inventory Of Your Posture & Adjust As Needed
Being aware of your posture at any given time is a superpower. It's not easy, but if you can sense when your shoulders and upper back begin slouching and your head drifts forward, you can quickly correct it before it has a chance to stick.
Try and take note of your posture at least once every 30-60 minutes. Just think about how your body feels - are your shoulder blades retracted, with your shoulders tucked back? Is your spine aligned, or is your head drifting forward? If you have to set an alarm to pop up and notify you it's time to audit and adjust your posture, do it. After a few weeks of constant evaluation, you'll find that tech neck doesn't stand a chance.
How To Get Rid Of Tech Neck Through Exercise
All the lifestyle modifications we've listed thus far are a great start, and we highly encourage you to incorporate all three of these into your life. Limit your technology use, take frequent breaks throughout the day, and constantly monitor/adjust your posture as needed.
Aside from this, there is one more thing you can do to either prevent or get rid of tech neck - and that actively strengthens the tiny little muscles in your neck. Even most fitness enthusiasts lack neck strength and stability, as it's super common to neglect this muscle group in training. But a strong neck is far more capable of maintaining proper alignment - and can help prevent and correct tech neck. We're going to cover some of the benefits of neck training now.
What Are The Benefits Of Training The Neck?
Training your neck is a great idea for anyone - whether you're an athlete in combat sports or a 9-5'er trying to manage the symptoms of tech neck. The biggest benefit of a stronger, sturdier neck is a decreased risk of injury - this also includes a decreased likelihood to feel the effects of tech neck.
If you have neck pain, you can help manage it through neck training. This gets the blood flowing to the sore, overworked, or overstretched muscles and helps clear up the inflammation. Plus - let's be honest. A thick neck is a true sign of strength, and something most everyone should strive for. You'll have fewer wrinkles & necklines, and you can say goodbye to that double chin forever.
What Exercises Are Best For Getting Rid Of Tech Neck?
There are so many different little neck muscles that exercise selection is really important. There are neck tightening exercises, neck strengthening exercises, and even exercises for muscle spasms in the neck! And, as you can probably imagine, getting rid of tech neck through exercises requires you to choose exercises that help you build better posture.
We recommend you incorporate exercises that target each and every muscle in your neck, but as it pertains to tech neck in particular, there are a few exercises that reign supreme. Think about what tech neck is - your neck is in overextension. So, combatting this condition will require you to work on the opposite of this - flexion.
Exercises that require you to tuck your chin and bring your cervical spine back into alignment will be best for eliminating tech neck. This can be as simple as starting with a neutral cervical spine, pushing your head & neck into extension, and then bringing it back into flexion, keeping your chin tucked.
Do You Need Any Equipment To Perform These Exercises For Tech Neck?
The equipment and supplies you need to perform exercises for tech neck will be dependent on the strength of your neck, to a certain extent. If your neck is incredibly weak, as most are, you can get started by just using the weight of your head and performing chin tucked movements. After all, the average human head weighs 12-15 pounds!
But at a certain point, you'll need to introduce a new stimulus in the form of resistance. When it comes to training the neck, you really have two options - using resistance bands and a neck harness, or using a neck strengthening machine-like Iron Neck.
The former is great for those on a budget. However, the Iron Neck device is the #1 way to eliminate neck pain and build up strength and stability from the comfort of your own home.
It unlocks more exercises than you would have ever thought possible! Whichever the case, just be sure to do diligent research into how to perform any exercise you plan on implementing. Start small, with a few sessions per week, and within weeks you'll be able to both see and feel the difference. Don't waste any more time, get started today and say goodbye to Tech Neck for good!
Final Thoughts On Getting Rid Of Tech Neck
That concludes our guide to getting rid of tech neck. We hope this advice helps you along your journey to getting rid of tech neck for good. It's time you live a pain-free life while loving the posture you see in the mirror. And fortunately, you now know exactly how to accomplish this goal. It's just going to take some minor lifestyle adjustments along the way, while incorporating exercises into your regimen.
Remember - getting rid of tech neck won't happen overnight. You need to be consistent along your journey. And if you are more concerned with how to get rid of tech neck wrinkles, you'll be delighted to learn that these can be treated pretty easily with a proper skincare routine. Just be sure to regularly apply a neck cream like cocoa butter or shea butter to the wrinkled skin on your neck. You'll be amazed at how quickly the tech neck wrinkles start to dissipate!
More importantly than getting right of the neck lines on your neck skin, you'll be living pain-free - no more stiff neck, no more immobility, no more nagging pain. It's time to start feeling and looking better - so don't wait any longer.