Everything You Need to Know About Tech Neck
“Tech neck is strain on the posterior muscles of the neck when bending forward,” shares Dr. Dugar. Photo by Eugene Chystiakov on Unsplash.
Are hours of looking down at your computer or cell phone taking a toll on your neck? Have unwanted horizontal neck lines and wrinkles crept up on you? Are you experiencing neck pain or spasms? You could be experiencing the results of tech neck!
We caught up with Dr. Deepak Dugar, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, to get all the details you need to know about tech neck and how to help improve it. Dr. Dugar is best known for “Scarless Nose Surgery” and non-surgically, he performs a wide variety of procedures on the aesthetics of the skin, face, body, and hair at his Beverly Hills-based Scarless Medspa. As someone who has experienced tech neck himself, Dr. Dugar knows all about it. Keep reading for preventative tips and more:
Dr. Deepak Dugar, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
What is tech neck and what causes it? Are people experiencing it more today due to cell phones/computer use?
Tech neck is strain on the posterior muscles of the neck when bending forward. This occurs when using mobile devices, tablets, computers or other maneuvers when leaning or bending forward. The average American spends almost 6 hours a day on their mobile device bending forward to look at it.
The neck when at 0 degrees rest is carrying almost 10 to 12 pounds of weight of our head and skull. As we lean forward that weight incrementally increases to up to an equivalent of 60 pounds when bending the neck at a 60-degree angle. That's equivalent to carrying a microwave oven on the small muscles of your neck! These small muscles of the neck are not meant to carry this amount of weight on a regular basis and this phenomenon of tech neck is becoming a huge issue.
The good news is that as a surgeon myself, I have this issue due to operating all day in a position where my neck is bent downwards and to the left for multiple hours a day, so I know a lot about this...and how to improve it! It is important to realize how critical it is to treat this early.
Initially, the muscle strain will begin to tighten over time and cause more pressure on the neck and discs of the spine. Once this happens the bone and cartilage of the discs of the spine can start to endure more wear and tear, which can lead to bulging discs or ruptured discs and eventually pinched nerves, which can lead to pain, numbness or weakness. At this point surgery may even be necessary to fix the issue so it’s important to do what you can now.
Is there anything people should do to help avoid getting it or slowing down getting it?
The number one way to avoid getting this or slowing it down is take steps to slow and reverse the damage. For every minute you are looking down at a device, spend the same amount of time in the opposite direction looking up or stretching the muscles. Avoid looking down as much as you can by resting your mobile device on a platform or using stands where you can keep your head at level 0 degrees.
What are the best solutions that people can do at home to fight tech neck?
When at work on your computer, ironically, sitting up straight isn't the answer. When you sit up straight you actually flex the muscles of the neck, which can make this worse. Ideally, you should have a chair with a 25-degree angle recline, which allows the neck to be in a resting position when at the computer.
Most important of all is exercise. Whenever I have spent a long day operating and feel some strain in my neck, the only thing that helps me is going straight to exercises to strengthen my middle and lower trapezius muscles, my latissimus dorsi muscles, and other upper and lower back muscles. By activating these muscles, your body turns off the activation of the neck muscles, which allows them to relax and recover.
Does tech neck lead to more lines and wrinkles on the neck? If so, do you recommend any additional steps or products to fight this particular aspect of tech neck?
Tech neck can definitely also lead to an unfortunate increase in horizontal rhytids (wrinkles) along the anterior neck. These can be hard to fix once they form deeply, so optimal neck positioning on a regular basis is important to help reduce these cosmetic issues from forming early on! Later in life, fillers, Botox, neck lifts, etc., are options for therapies, but the best is prevention by proper posture of one's neck as much as possible!
Are there any cosmetic procedures that address tech neck?
Neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin have been proven to be effective in decreasing the spasms of the neck muscles by reducing their activity in the muscle fibers. This should be performed by a plastic surgeon, spine surgeon, ENT surgeon or neurologist who has a great deal of knowledge of the anatomy in this region and should NOT be performed by any med spas or cosmetic clinics, in my opinion.
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Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy