While technology like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, can improve your quality of life, it comes with a price: being huddled over your devices for long periods of time can do more harm than good.
Using certain devices for extended periods of time can easily lead to neck strain, headaches, as well as pain in your shoulders, arms and hands. If you’ve used a smartphone or tablet for an extensive amount of time, you’ve probably experienced the strain it puts on your upper body. These conditions even have their own name: Text Neck.

Tips to Help You Avoid Text Neck Strain

1. Take frequent breaks
Take frequent breaks and look up from your device to give your neck some relief from the pressure of looking down.
2. Sit up straight
It’s important to sit up straight while texting. This way, you can maintain good posture, relieving your back and shoulders from the strain of being hunched over.
3. Aim higher
Holding the phone closer to eye level helps maintain a healthy posture and puts less strain on your neck. You can also let your arms rest by using a stand or propping the device up against something.
4. Stretch
Be sure to stretch often between long periods of extended use of devices. Put your hands at your sides and rotate your shoulders to relieve tension. You can also tuck your chin down to your neck and then lookup. This action helps relieve some of the tension built up in your neck due to the forward-down position we often adopt when looking at our device.
If you do experience pain from device use, consult a chiropractor to assess your specific needs and recommend a treatment plan that’s right for you. To find a chiropractor near you, use the chiropractor locator on our website. In Ontario, you can visit a chiropractor without a referral from a doctor, nurse practitioner or other health care professional.