When your tech becomes a real pain in the neck
How you can fix these 3 major health complaints
Americans now spend more than five hours a day hunched over, reading emails, sending texts or checking social media sites, according to analytics firm Flurry— and it’s turning into a real pain in the neck. No really, there’s actually a condition called “tech neck,” and there’s a good chance you — or someone in your family — have it. ImagineMD, a direct primary care medical company based in Chicago, gathered Google search trend data to rank tech pains by the number of times people searched for them. “Tech neck” is one of the most frequently Googled tech-related conditions in the U.S. these days, right behind “texting thumb” and “cell phone elbow.” And while the terms might sound funny, these tech-related conditions can be serious and painful. Here are the top three — and what to do about them.
Gamer’s thumb, aka texting thumb
Thumb pain is the No. 1 mostsearched-for technology-related injury, with nearly 100,000 monthly searches, according to that ImagineMD report.
It’s a repetitive stress injury, caused by too much gripping, tapping and swiping, either on a videogame controller or a smartphone screen, says Robert Wysocki, an orthopedic surgeon at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Thumb strain usually falls into one of two categories: “trigger thumb” or thumb arthritis, Wysocki says. Trigger thumb occurs when a tendon that controls thumb motions becomes overworked and constricted, while thumb arthritis is centered on the joint where the thumb connects to the wrist. Both can be painful, but trigger thumb is less severe and temporary.
Arthritis of the thumb, on the other hand, is a serious condition that can require surgery. Wysocki is quick to point out that thumb arthritis hasn’t been directly linked to technology habits, so if you’re a smartphone addict with thumb pain, it’s more likely you have the less serious trigger thumb. This means cramping, inflammation and general discomfort in the thumb and lower portion of the hand.
The fix
Wysocki recommends changing how you type on your phone, such as switching between your left and right hands regularly, rather than relying on one to do all the work. Holding your phone in one hand and typing with the pointer finger of the other is another easy way to give your thumb a rest.
Calming the symptoms of trigger thumb are fairly straightforward and starts with rest. You can also apply ice to dull the pain. In particularly dire cases, Wysocki suggests a cortisone shot.
Tech neck
I’ve been calling it the “cyber slouch” and until recently had no idea how much damage it has done to my own health. Twice a week for nearly six weeks now, I’ve gone to a physical therapist to deal with chronic upper back, neck, shoulder and headache pain. I thought it was caused by an old sports injury, or maybe because I travel too much for work. Or because I just work too hard in general.
But no, it’s all due to how much time I spend slouching behind my laptop or hovering over my smartphone, according to my physical therapist.
According to Andrew Lui, a physical therapist and associate clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco’s Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science department, one quick way to see if you might be suffering from tech neck is to look at your profile sideways in a mirror. If your ears are not lined up with your shoulders, your posture may be promoting chronic pain.
How did this happen? The human head weighs about 10 pounds. The more you tilt your head forward and down, the more gravity increases the weight to your neck. Tilting your head 30 degrees equals about 40 pounds of strain on your neck. A 60-degree tilt is equivalent to 60 pounds of force.
“Over time, your head shifts forward,” Lui says. “We call this forward head carriage. It can cause excess strain on your upper spine.”
The fix
“Think about your body as much as you think about your work,” Lui says. He encourages people to make their workstations fit their body, rather than the other way around — the scrunch, hunch, slouch, lean, tilt and slump that so many of us fall into.
“Start with good posture, move your screen directly in front of you so that you’re not looking down all day. The main principle? It should fit you, not you it,” he adds. Experts also say to raise your mobile devices higher and closer to your line of sight and to keep your head up while texting or scrolling.
There are also a series of stretches that are good for posture. I’ve been using two free apps, Great Posture (iOS) and MyNeck (iOS, Android). Both walk you through gentle stretch and strengthening exercises such as chin retractions (pull your chin back and in, like giving yourself a double-chin), shrugs (just like they sound, raise your shoulders toward your ears and then relax) and slow-no’s (turn your head side to side like you’re saying “no”).
Email eye, aka digital eye strain
A splitting headache and itchy eyes after pulling long hours staring at a computer display aren’t just the annoying side effect of a workday. Your zombified screen stare can also cause chronic health problems over time, according to the American Optometric Association. Symptoms of digital eye strain can also include blurred vision and even seeing double, the AOA notes. Your eyes simply weren’t made to stare at a screen for hours, but that’s the reality for anyone whose job revolves around a computer.
The fix
The AOA calls it the “20-20-20” rule: For every 20 minutes you spend staring at the screen, look away for 20 seconds at something that is 20 feet away. This simple habit gives your eyes a muchneeded break.
The group also recommends that you’re at least arm’s length from your screen. Also, do your best to eliminate overhead lighting around your computer area, as it tends to create screen glare, which contributes to eye strain.
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Awardwinning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY’s digital video show TECH NOW. Find her at jj@techish.com or on Twitter @JenniferJolly.