A short YouTube video/transcript in which Dr. Jeff Langmaid (Research that Matters TV) explains the phenomenon of “tech neck” — increased spinal loading from forward-flexed neck posture when using smartphones and tablets — quantifies its cumulative risk from hours of daily use, and gives practical mitigation advice (take breaks every ~15 minutes, perform stretches/range-of-motion, raise the screen). The speaker also offers clinical evaluation for symptomatic viewers.
Chapters
Hi, I'm Dr. Jeff Langmaid with Research that Matters TV Postural stress not only happens because of your anatomy, but also because of the decisions you make each and every day. If something like this looks familiar, you are not alone. The average person spends two hours or more on their tablet or smartphone each and every day. That adds up to hundreds, if not thousands of hours per year in this forward flexed position. We call that tech neck. When you are in a forward position like this, Even just a 15 or 30% change in the angle of your neck can increase the weight on your spine by three, five, or even ten times the further you go down. That increased stress and strain is not a big deal when it happens momentarily, but when it happens for hours each and every day that become weeks, that become months, that become years, it can overload the joints of your spine and lead to pain, dysfunction, and challenges. So remember, if you're spending a lot of time in this position, be sure that you're taking breaks every 15 minutes. Stretching, going through some range of motion. Ideally, make sure you get that screen up so you're not tilting down so you can minimize the effects of tech neck on your spine and your body. If you have any questions relative to that whatsoever, or if you feel like you have pain and or dysfunction relative to tech neck, we'd be happy to examine and evaluate you. Please reach out to our office today. My name is Dr. Jeff Langman. I'll see you next week for another episode of Research that Matters. TV.
