Tech Neck: A Growing Issue for Children

Technology is everywhere and can be integrated into almost every aspect of our lives. Many children have never known a world without technology and screens. But how can electronic screens, especially when used daily, influence the physical well-being of children? Tech neck is a growing issue stemming from this rise in technology.

Tech neck is a type of overuse or stress injury from using electronic devices for long periods of time, usually with the neck in a hunched, forward posture.

Similar characteristics of tech neck have gone by different names over the years, including:

This is because the characteristics of tech neck are nothing new—Any activity (e.g., writing, reading, needlepoint) performed in a prolonged posture with the neck strained forward can cause similar issues. However, the term tech neck is gaining traction because of how technology is vastly changing our everyday lives at a faster pace than ever befor

The effects of tech neck are heavily related to the repetitive, immobile nature of using technology. Remaining in one place while holding the same posture and doing the same electronic tasks causes a wide array of issues, including the following.

Tech neck can cause stiffness, pain, numbness, and tingling throughout the body, as well as dizziness, headaches, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, and general fatigue. These issues can affect both adults and children.

Today’s children have a significantly different relationship with technology than any other generation. The internet really only became mainstream in the 1990s, and smartphone usage skyrocketed in the 2020s.

Generation Z and Generation Alpha (spanning those born between about 1997 and 2024) are the first generations to grow up entirely in the digital age.

Data on technology use in children is staggering. Limited access to childcare, parent/guardian technology habits, and lack of supervision can influence how much screen time a child receives. The most recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, published in 2010, found that children ages 8-18 have almost eight hours of screen time each day.

day. The time spent on screens has been consistently increasing, so screen-time statistics may be even higher now, 15 years later.

Considering tech neck is an issue caused by the repetitive, prolonged use of technology, these statistics on high technology use in children signal a major concern for their physical health.

Unfortunately, tech neck can be even more impactful on children because, without proper care and prevention, its effects will most likely persist and worsen throughout adulthood.

Thankfully, children are quick learners and can bounce back from injuries quickly. Prevention and treatment of tech neck can be very successful in children if addressed consistently and deliberately.

Care for tech neck follows four main categories: posture modification, lifestyle modifications, mobility work, and strengthening work. Physical therapists and occupational therapists are skilled in creating unique prevention and treatment plans to address tech neck.

● Posture modifications: Posture work is essential to reducing the effects of tech neck. Staying in the same position, holding the same posture, and doing the same activity again and again (e.g., swiping on a smartphone or clicking a computer mouse) must be avoided. If prolonged technology use is necessary (e.g., for schoolwork), setting up a designated workspace with devices set up in proper places can make a big difference. Movement breaks should ideally be taken every 20 minutes.

● Lifestyle modifications: Reducing time spent on electronic devices can naturally reduce the effects of tech neck. It is important to limit children’s technology use. If screen time is necessary at all, the suggested maximum use time ranges from 30 minutes to 2 hours. It is important to then replace free time with active movements that children enjoy, such as joining a sports team or school club, doing arts and crafts, or playing with non-electronic toys to boost imaginative play. Children and adolescents (ages six to 17) need, at a minimum, one hour of moderate-to-intense exercise per day.

● Mobility work: Mobility work, otherwise known as range of motion or flexibility work, can help children learn neutral posture positions and keep their muscles flexible.

● Strengthening work: Tech neck causes muscle weakness in certain patterns, so a specialized strengthening plan can help build back important neck, core, and shoulder strength.

With the rise of technology use in children, addressing tech neck is more important now than ever. Talk with your physical therapist or occupational therapist today about ways to keep your child from developing tech neck.

Resources

Text neck. Physiopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://www.physio-pedia.com/Text_Neck

Ross S. Daily Media Use Among Children and Teens Up Dramatically From Five Years Ago | KFF. KFF. Published January 20, 2010. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/daily-media-use-among-children-and-teens-up-dramatically-from-five-years-ago/