With the return to the work and school routine, the hours spent in front of screens increase again and, together with the time dedicated to computers, smartphones and tablets, the risk of developing neck pain, muscle stiffness and shoulder tension also increases. An increasingly widespread phenomenon, commonly identified with the term tech neck or text neck, which describes the set of disorders associated with the prolonged use of digital devices, especially when the head is kept tilted forward for many hours and the body remains in the same position without sufficient opportunities for movement.
The Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SIOT) is calling attention to the problem and, when resuming daily activities, invites us to pay greater attention to postural habits and sedentary lifestyle, underlining how neck pain is not necessarily a sign of a pathology, but can be favored by muscle overload and prolonged maintenance of static positions.
It is therefore not just a question of how we hold the smartphone or how correct our position is in front of the computer, because what affects the well-being of the neck is above all the set of daily habits, from the number of hours spent immobile to the frequency of breaks, up to the amount of physical activity practiced during the week.
What is tech neck and why can it cause neck pain
The term tech neck commonly indicates cervical disorders that can appear when using smartphones, tablets and computers for a long time, keeping the head tilted forward and reducing the variety of movements during the day.
«The term tech neck commonly describes the set of disorders that can appear when we spend many hours in front of smartphones, tablets and computers, keeping the head tilted forward for a long time and above all reducing the variety of movements», explains Professor Pietro Simone Randelli, president of the Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology and professor of Orthopedics at the University of Milan.
«In these conditions the work required of the cervical muscles increases. An unfavorable posture can contribute to overload, especially if it is maintained for many hours, few breaks are taken and the day is characterized by little physical activity. Prevention therefore first of all involves movement and the ability to change position frequently.”
Symptoms that may occur include neck pain and stiffness, tension in the shoulders and upper back, muscle fatigue and headaches, disorders that can appear especially after prolonged periods spent in front of a screen without changing position.
Specialists underline, however, that we should not automatically attribute all neck pain to the use of digital devices, because the appearance of symptoms can depend on various factors and requires considering the person’s overall habits.
What happens to the cervical spine when we look at the smartphone with our head tilted
The problem mainly concerns the way in which the distribution of loads on the cervical structures changes when the head is kept tilted forward for a long time, a particularly common position when using the smartphone, especially when the device is held at chest height or on the knees.
«From a biomechanical point of view, when the head is tilted forward the distribution of loads on the cervical structures changes», explains Professor Alberto Di Martino, SIOT expert and associate professor of Orthopedics and Traumatology at the University of Bologna and the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli.
«The center of gravity of the head moves anteriorly and increases the work required of the muscles and posterior structures of the neck to keep it in position».
This means that keeping the head bent forward for prolonged periods can place greater demands on the cervical muscles, especially when the position is associated with reduced mobility and few interruptions during the day.
Some studies have found an association between greater smartphone use and a higher frequency of neck pain, with particular attention to daily exposures exceeding three to four hours. However, this is an association that does not automatically establish that it is the device causing the disturbance.
«However, even this data does not allow us to attribute the pain exclusively to the smartphone. Those who spend many hours in front of a screen may in fact also be more sedentary, practice less physical activity, move less and maintain static positions for longer. It is therefore the set of daily habits that must be considered”, specifies Di Martino.
The distinction is important because it allows us to address the problem without considering technology as the sole cause of cervical disorders, instead focusing attention on the behaviors that can favor muscle overload and on the changes that can be introduced into the daily routine.
Tech neck in children and adolescents: why pay attention
The relationship between the use of digital devices and postural habits also deserves particular attention in children and adolescents, especially during the growth phases, when the numerous hours spent in front of screens can be associated with reduced physical activity and prolonged periods in a sitting position.
According to SIOT specialists, over time postural attitudes characterized by a protracted head forward, anteriorly placed shoulders and a greater curvature of the back can appear, especially when prolonged use of the devices is accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of variety of movements.
Even in this case, however, it is important to avoid automatically interpreting any postural alteration as a direct consequence of smartphone use, because musculoskeletal well-being depends on a set of factors that includes movement, physical activity and daily habits.
The five tips from orthopedists to prevent tech neck
To reduce the risk of cervical overload during work, school and recreational activities, the Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology has identified five practical recommendations which concern the position of the neck, the organization of the workstation, the frequency of breaks and the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle.
1. Avoid keeping your neck tilted too far forward
The first recommendation concerns the position of the head when using digital devices, because a marked and prolonged flexion can increase the work required of the cervical muscles and encourage overload.
Orthopedists therefore recommend looking for a comfortable position that does not force the neck to remain bent forward for prolonged periods, in particular avoiding maintaining inclinations greater than approximately 30 degrees for long periods.
The goal is not to assume a rigid position or continuously control the inclination of the head, but to reduce the time spent with the neck strongly flexed, especially when using the smartphone to read, write messages or consult content.
2. Take regular breaks and change positions often
Even an apparently correct posture, if kept immobile for many hours, can contribute to muscle fatigue, which is why specialists recommend regularly interrupting static positions during computer work or prolonged smartphone use.
Getting up from your desk, moving your neck and shoulders, changing position and periodically looking away from the screen are simple behaviors that allow you to introduce a greater variety of movements into your day.
The recommendation therefore concerns not only those who work for many hours in front of a monitor, but also those who spend long periods using smartphones and tablets during travel, study or free time.
3. Arrange your computer, monitor and smartphone correctly
The organization of the workstation represents another important element to avoid keeping the head constantly tilted during daily activities.
Monitor, seat and work surface should allow for a comfortable position, avoiding forcing the neck into a marked flexion for many consecutive hours, while smartphones and tablets can be carried higher, bringing them closer to eye level.
A more adequate arrangement of devices allows us to reduce the need to continually look downwards, but does not eliminate the importance of pauses and changes in position, which remain fundamental even when working in a well-organized workstation.
4. Counteract sedentary lifestyle with regular physical activity
The fourth tip concerns movement outside of the hours spent in front of screens, because regularly practicing physical activity contributes to musculoskeletal well-being and the body’s ability to better tolerate daily loads.
According to orthopedists, the prevention of tech neck cannot therefore be limited to correcting posture during work, but must also include greater attention to a sedentary lifestyle and the possibility of introducing movement into one’s routine.
5. Recognize when you need to seek medical attention
An occasional episode of neck stiffness or fatigue after many hours in front of the computer is not necessarily a cause for concern, but there are situations in which it is important to seek medical evaluation.
SIOT specialists recommend contacting the doctor when the pain persists or worsens, limits normal daily activities, appears after a trauma or is associated with tingling, loss of sensation or reduction of strength in the upper limbs.
In the presence of these symptoms, in fact, it is important not to automatically attribute the disorder to a simple incorrect posture, but to undergo an evaluation that allows the possible causes to be identified.
The solution is not to stop using smartphones and computers, but to move more
Tech neck represents one of the possible consequences of a routine in which work, study and free time often involve many hours spent in front of screens, but prevention does not necessarily involve a drastic reduction in the use of technology.
According to orthopedists, the central point is to learn to recognize the habits that can favor muscular overload, avoiding maintaining static positions for long periods and introducing breaks, movement and greater attention to the organization of the workstation.
«The solution is not to demonize smartphones, tablets and computers – concludes Professor Randelli – but to learn to use them in a more conscious way. Especially with the return to the work or study routine, the recommendation is simple: less immobility, more movement, greater attention to one’s daily habits and posture.”
