Doctors warn of ‘technical neck’ – as bending over to scroll on your phone can equate to 50lbs of pressure, leading some to need surgery to fix it
Staring at your phone screen for hours every day can cause enough neck damage to require surgery.
Experts warn of the so-called “tech neck”, the repeated strain on bones, nerves and muscles that can cause chronic pain. Muscle stiffness, joint inflammation, pinched nerves, arthritis, and even bone spurs or herniated discs can also occur.
According to the University of Texas Southwestern, Americans spend an average of more than five hours each day scrolling on their smartphones and even more time staring at laptop and computer screens.
The normal adult head weighs 10 to 12 pounds, and tilting it forward at a 45-degree angle to stare at a cell phone increases the force on the neck by nearly 50 pounds.
Phones and social media are an integral part of modern life, and many jobs require additional screen time at the computer, resulting in significant impacts on physical and mental health.
The more you tilt your head, the greater the equivalent pressure on your neck
Keeping your phone at eye level to reduce strain can help prevent future pain and neck problems
dr Kavita Trivedi, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Texas Southwestern, said, ‘Humans are upright creatures and our bodies are not designed to look down for long periods of time, which puts extra pressure on the cervical spine.’
She explained that if she’s constantly staring down, the extra 50 pounds of force can strain or injure the joints that connect the vertebrae.
The more you lean down, the more pressure you get, with a 60-degree bend equaling 60 pounds.
Surrounding muscles will tighten to protect nearby nerves, which in turn will cause inflammation, pain, and knots in the neck.
Teenagers and young people are increasingly affected as more and more children get smartphones earlier.
Non-surgical treatment options include medication and physical therapy, trigger point and steroid injections, and nerve blocks.
In the worst case, the patients have to be operated on.
A “neck lift” involves making incisions around the ears and hairline to tighten the underlying muscles and remove excess skin.
It is usually a safe procedure with no more risks than any other surgery.
Keeping your phone at eye level to reduce strain can help prevent future pain and neck problems.
dr Trivedi said: “The good news is that most patients with Tech Neck do not require surgery and we have a wide range of therapies that can be very effective. There is no need to live with pain when it can be managed.”
She added: “Our phones and tablets are valuable tools and there is no reason to give them up. The solution is to learn how to prevent a technical neck while using these devices, and if pain develops, see a specialist who can help.’
A 2008 literature review found that of all workers, those who sit in an office and computer users are most at risk of neck pain.
And a report by Data.ai found that in 2022, humans spent a total of 4.1 trillion hours — or 470 million years — staring at their phone screens.
Heavy smartphone use has been linked to many potential harms in addition to technical necks.
A 2017 study by Turkish researchers found that university students who were addicted to their phone were more likely to experience loneliness or aggression.
Loneliness is associated with mental health problems, and a 2021 study by Israeli researchers linked excessive smartphone use to anxiety, depression, and related problems like shyness and low self-esteem.
These participants were also more likely to report poor eating habits, which further increased their risk of nutritional problems.