Are you Suffering From “Text Neck”?

Whether or not you’ve heard this new-fangled term, it’s likely you know exactly what “text neck” is referring to. The uncomfortable, bent, and ready for anything our phones may send us position that we always seem to find ourselves in. Where the head is hunched over, our shoulders hiked up, and the back bent and in no sort of routine. And after a while, it starts to hurt. We might not even know it at the time, but this continued position will create incredible amounts of stress within the shoulders and neck.

So why do we keep doing it? Chances are, you don’t even know you’re texting this way. The habit just creeps up on you, until it simply feels natural to communicate in such a position. 

You Likely Have Text Neck if: 

• You have tight or painful shoulders
• Cricks in the neck
• Your neck or shoulders “pop” regularly
• You regularly sit in a hunched position
• You fail to sit up straight
• You send multiple texts per day

The good news, however, is that you can train your body to stop texting this way. Just like you trained it to start hunching (even if you didn’t know it). By remembering to stay aware of how you’re sitting or standing, you can reverse the unhealthy behavior. You should also be aware of how your shoulders are sitting, the position of your neck, and how close the phone is to your face. And if you really need it that close to your face, move the phone instead. It’s that easy.

Over time, this behavior will become muscle memory, and the body will eliminate its next neck behavior without even thinking about it. Start incorporating these small changes today for an easy, yet effective way, to eliminate texting-based side effects once and for all.