Tech neck is that posture we all assume when looking at our phones and devices. Studies show that we’re spending an average of 8-10 hours/day looking at those devices.
Did you know that your head can “weigh” up to 42lbs, depending how far forward it is held? Is there any question why we may be experiencing back and neck pain, tension, and headaches?
No one wants to end up looking like Quasimodo, but how do we avoid it? Since many of us spend most of our days sitting, we need to address sitting posture. Believe it or not, maintaining poor posture all day long creates muscle imbalances that then affect the way we stand. This is why it’s critical to sit well.
Contrary to what we’ve all been told, sitting is not the new smoking. We can learn to sit in a healthy way, that helps rather than hurts our body.
Remember the song Dem Bones, with the lyrics “the leg bone connected to the…thigh bone”? Well, the song is right—everything is connected, and neck posture begins with the position of the pelvis. Let’s review the anatomy of the spine and what are considered the “natural” curves of the spine. For the spine to remain in that upright position, with an “S” curve, the pelvis must be in a neutral position. The pelvis and spine are connected by ligaments, and because of this, any movement of the pelvis will affect the spine. We can imagine that the pelvis is the “foundation” of posture, and that foundation must be stabilized and supported.
That sounds easy, right?
The problem is that traditional office chairs don’t provide support to the pelvis specifically. Instead, they have incorporated “lumbar support,” which is typically a curve in the back support meant to meet the lumbar spine. There are two problems with this:
Traditional office chairs’ lack of pelvic support creates a slumped position and forward head posture.
Without the right support, over time the muscles in the lower back become fatigued, and the sitter will tend to relax them in favor of letting the ligaments help hold the torso upright. If postural support is not provided, the muscles of the lower back will tighten, and the person will slump down and forward. At the same time, the head will be pushed forward, forcing the muscles at the back of the neck to work to try to keep the head in the original position. Muscle tension at the cervical spine may increase as much as 50 percent when a person changes from an upright to a slumped posture (Semani, et al., 2012).1
Performing exercises that promote muscle balance can help improve forward head posture.
1. Chin tucks