Tech neck: what screens do to posture, and three resets

Welcome to the first Tech Tuesday. Every Tuesday, the team at Monarch Bay Chiropractic, led by Dr. Scott Kirchner, D.C., will look at technology, how things work and what's new at the practice. (On Fridays, Feel-Good Friday brings fun, movement and feel-good habits.)

We're starting with the device that's probably in your hand right now.

What screens do to the way we sit

Look around any coffee shop or waiting room. Heads tip down toward phones. Shoulders round toward laptops. "Tech neck" is the everyday nickname for that head-forward, shoulders-rounded shape.

Here's the good news: research doesn't point to one "perfect" posture that you have to hold all day. A 2019 commentary in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy argued that the evidence doesn't support one correct way to sit (Slater et al., 2019). Changing positions often seems to matter more. As the saying goes, your best posture is your next posture.

So the goal isn't to sit like a statue. It's to move often, and to set up your tech so it isn't pulling you forward all day.

Three resets that take about a minute

Try these at your desk, on the couch or in a parked car. Each one takes about 20 seconds.

1. Chin tuck. Sit or stand tall and look straight ahead. Gently slide your chin straight back, as if making a double chin, without tipping your head up or down. Hold for 3 seconds, then relax. Repeat 5 times.
2. Shoulder-blade squeeze and chest opener. Let your arms hang relaxed at your sides. Gently draw your shoulder blades back and down, as if tucking them into your back pockets, and let your chest open. Hold for 3 seconds, then relax. Repeat 5 times.
3. Upper-back extension over a chair back. Sit in a sturdy chair without wheels, with a backrest that reaches about the bottom of your shoulder blades. Cross your arms over your chest. Gently lean back over the top of the backrest, letting your upper back arch a little, and look slightly up. Hold for 2 seconds, then sit up. Repeat 5 times.

Move slowly and stay in a comfortable range. Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel numbness, tingling or dizziness. If you're pregnant, recovering from an injury or managing a health condition, check with your doctor first.

Set up your tech so it works with you

• Raise the phone. Bring it up toward eye level instead of dropping your head to meet it. A stand or a pillow can prop up a tablet.
• Check the monitor height. OSHA's workstation guidance says the top of the monitor should be at or slightly below eye level, generally 20 to 40 inches from your eyes.
• Give the laptop a boost. For long work sessions, raise the screen and add a separate keyboard and mouse.
• Use the 20-20-20 rule for your eyes. The American Optometric Association suggests taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.
• Let your phone nudge you. Set a repeating reminder, or a smartwatch stand reminder, to get up and move every 30 to 60 minutes.

Quick answers

Is there one correct posture?
Research doesn't support a single perfect posture. Changing positions often seems to matter more than holding any one position.

Where should a computer monitor sit?
OSHA suggests the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, generally 20 to 40 inches from the eyes.

What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The American Optometric Association recommends it as a break for the eyes.

How long do the three resets take?
About a minute for all three: five slow repetitions of each.

Are these resets a treatment?
No. They're simple habits for screen-heavy days. If something hurts or doesn't settle, talk with your doctor.

Thanks for reading the first Tech Tuesday

Next week: how balance works, and why your feet, eyes and inner ear work as a team.

Questions? Call us at (949) 661-9777. Share this with someone who'd find it useful.

General information, not medical advice. Please talk with your own doctor about your situation.

Sources

1. Slater, D., Korakakis, V., O'Sullivan, P., Nolan, D. & O'Sullivan, K. (2019). "Sit up straight": time to re-evaluate. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 49(8), 562-564. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2019.0610
2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Computer Workstations eTool: Monitors. https://www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/components/monitors
3. American Optometric Association. Computer vision syndrome (digital eye strain). https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome