In today’s technically driven times, especially with the younger crowd, you may find yourself getting what Dr. Steven Areta from SoCal Spine Rehab and Wellness Center calls “tech neck syndrome”. Dr. Areta says that this has become a common problem with teens thanks to texting and using mobile devices. To explain how to hold a phone to alleviate neck pain, Dr. Areta recorded this Quick Tip Video to provide an example of what this should look like. Read on below for more and watch his quick tip to see this example.
To demonstrate his point, Dr. Areta asks the following question: How would you hold a bowling ball for five minutes? Would you hold it out far away from your body? No, you’d bring it in close to your core so you could have a chance of being able to hold it for the full five minutes. He pointed out that it’s better in this situation with your phone to hold your phone closer to your body. The more forward and down you move your head, the more pressure you put on the disks and muscles in your neck and upper back, so you should avoid doing that and instead put your head up, keep your shoulders back, and tuck in your chin. By bringing your phone up and over to you instead of pushing your neck and head down, you can alleviate the neck pain that comes with “tech neck syndrome”.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, this neck pain can become much more severe, and putting your head down while texting can add to your pre-existing injuries. So, if you’ve been injured in an accident or if you are experiencing neck pain, be sure to speak with Dr. Steven Areta or any of our doctors who work on a lien basis across California and Nevada.
