STRETCH IT OUT
In addition to workouts such as yoga and pilates, which can help strengthen the core and improve posture, this 10-minute routine is good for prevention and reversal of tech neck pain. Try doing it during a break at work. “All of these exercises can be done in a chair or standing in front of your computer screen,” says Roland Rodriguez, a physical therapist at Atlantic Physical Therapy Center in Toms River, NJ.
Chin glide
“It’s the exact counter to the symptoms of rounded shoulders and a forward head,” says Rodriguez. Stand up or sit tall in a chair and look directly forward. While keeping the chin level, shift the head backwards for five seconds and then return to the original position. Do one set of 15 reps.
Upper trapezius stretch
“This stretches out the shoulder muscles that contract when you’re looking at a computer screen,” he says. Sit facing forward. Place the right hand on the head so that the ends of the fingers extend toward the left ear. Then place the left hand under the left buttocks, sitting on the hand. Use the right hand to pull the head gently down, moving the right ear toward the right shoulder, until a stretch is felt on the left side of the neck. Hold for 30 seconds and gently release. Return to starting position. Repeat on left side. Do each side three times.
Pectoral stretch
“The pecs get really tight with tech neck, so this stretches and extends the lumbar spine,” says Rodriguez. Stand up straight and tuck in the chin. Raise both arms and clasp the hands at the base of the skull with the elbows pointing out to both sides. Pull the elbows back as far as you can and hold the position for 30 seconds. Do one set of 10 reps.
Scapular retraction with external rotation
With tech neck, the shoulder blades often separate. “This pulls them back together,” says Rodriguez. Stand tall with your chin tucked in and your arms at your sides, palms facing forward. Retract your scapulae by pulling the shoulder blades closer together and down. (Shoulders should not move upward toward the ears with this movement.) Keeping the elbows straight, turn the palms and arms away from the body so that the thumbs are pointing backward. Hold for 10 seconds and return to the original position. Do one set of 10 reps.