What is Tech Neck and Do You Have it?
Do You Experience Daily Neck Pain?
The joints and all of the structures that move and support them are subjected to degenerative forces arising from repeated movements, prolonged postures, and simply through the process of aging. The cervical spine is particularly susceptible to degenerative changes because of normal day-to-day activities that require frequent movements of the head and neck. The inevitable degenerative process leads to injury, altering the precision of movement. In addition, many of us perform excessive motions of our head and neck as part of our body language or use of undesirable prolonged postures such as texting on our phone, working at the computer, reading a tablet. Research shows us that onset of painful and degenerative conditions of the cervical spine is precipitated by deviations in the alignment and movement patterns. We need to first understand the normal anatomy and kinesiology of our neck in order to recognize and correct abnormal motion.
Ideal alignment of the cervical region allows the head to be positioned with minimal muscular effort. Ideal alignment is an inward lordotic curve with both upper and lower cervical region in a position of slight extension.. With aging, poor posture and inevitable degenerative changes occurring in the cervical discs, the lordotic alignment decreases and there is an increase in forward translation.
Tech Neck is the buzzword for "Forward-Head Posture" that results from repetitive forward carrying posture of our cervical spine. The forward-head posture is characterized by forward translation of the lower cervical region and hyperextension of the upper cervical region with typically increased kyphotic curvature in the thoracic spine. This causes neck pain over time and decreased ability to maintain a correct alignment when distracted.
Muscular adaptations are shortening of the cervical spine extensors (muscles in the BACK of the neck) and a lengthening of the intrinsic cervical spine flexors (muscles in the FRONT of the neck).
Forward head position also requires increased activity of the extensor muscles of the cervical spine to counter balance the head against the effects of gravity.
What happens when muscles become imbalanced?
Extrinsic muscles become more dominant over deep intrinsic muscles during neck movement and rotation no longer occurs about the vertical axis.
This leads to abnormal muscle recruitment pattern adding compression of cervical spine structures and favor the use of the muscles with the greatest mechanical advantage.
These muscular adaptations cause:
Increased compressive forces on articular facet joints, leading to degenerative changes in our cervical spine
Changes in the ligamentum nuchae that increases demand on the upper trapezius muscle to stabilize and move cervical spine, leading to chronic neck pain and tension.
Tension headaches, carrying "stress" in cervical muscles, unilateral migraine, neck and shoulder pain.
Now that we learned all the impairments that may happen to our cervical tissues due to poor posture and abnormal loading, we will address exercises that will reverse these compensatory motions and restore normal neck movement. The comprehensive active exercise program includes correction of the length, strength, and stiffness of the cervical muscles, abdominals, shoulder girdle, and thoracic spinal musculature.
The focus of an active exercise program in the cervical spine is to improve the strength and motor control of the intrinsic cervical spine muscles. This is why I have created a 4-week online program with detailed videos of progressive exercises to help you reverse your forward head posture. You will start from gravity minimized, unloaded positions where proper movement pattern can be learned and progress to building your strength and endurance to functional loaded, anti-gravity positions.
Kateryna has a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy with 15 years of clinical experience. She is a STOTT Certified Pilates Instructor and loves to integrate pilates into her physical therapy treatment approach. Her mission is to help you feel and move better for life.
