If someone looked at humanity fifty years ago and then went back today, they would probably notice a curious change: millions of people walk down the streets, sit in restaurants, wait for elevators or walk through airports with their heads tilted downwards. The gaze is fixed on a screen.
The phenomenon is so common that it has its own name. “Tech Neck”, or “technological neck”, has become the expression used to describe pain, discomfort and changes associated with prolonged use of smartphones, tablets and computers.
But are we facing a new epidemic caused by technology? Or has the subject been oversimplified?
The answer is somewhere between the two extremes.
It’s true that we’ve never spent so much time in front of screens. Global data shows that adults remain connected for several hours daily, whether for work, study, leisure or communication.
At the same time, neck pain has become one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions in the world, affecting millions of people and generating a significant impact on quality of life and productivity.
The coincidence between these two phenomena caught the attention of researchers.
Does a cell phone cause pain? What science really says
Recent studies demonstrate an association between excessive use of smartphones and a higher prevalence of neck pain. The longer the exposure time, the greater the reports of discomfort, stiffness and muscle fatigue in the neck and shoulder region.
However, there is a detail often ignored on social media: association does not mean causation.
The idea that the simple act of looking at your cell phone would be enough to “damage your spine” does not find robust scientific support.
Current science has shown something much more interesting. The problem doesn’t just seem to be the position of the head. The problem is the context in which this position occurs.
When a person sits for hours, moves little, sleeps poorly, has low physical fitness and accumulates high levels of stress, the musculoskeletal system starts to deal with a much greater load.
In this scenario, the neck often becomes the most vulnerable link in the chain.
Therefore, the most important question may not be “what is the correct posture?”, but “how long do we spend without moving?”.
How to reduce pain without letting go of screens
For decades, it was believed that there was an ideal posture capable of preventing pain. Today, scientific literature is heading in a different direction. The human body seems to tolerate different postures very well. What he tolerates least is the absence of variation.
In other words, remaining still for hours can be more problematic than adopting a position considered imperfect for a few minutes.
This change in perspective helps explain why so many people develop symptoms despite trying to maintain a posture considered adequate, while others spend years working in seemingly unfavorable positions without experiencing significant pain.
The human organism does not work like a machine made up only of levers and gears. Emotional factors, sleep quality, level of physical activity, muscular capacity and even the way we interpret body signals influence the experience of pain.
This does not mean that the stance is irrelevant. It just means she’s a piece of a much bigger puzzle.
The good news is that the solutions are also simpler than many imagine.
Raising the screen to eye level, interrupting prolonged periods of sitting, taking regular breaks, strengthening the cervical and scapular muscles, practicing physical activity and taking care of your sleep are among the most effective strategies to reduce the risk of neck pain related to the use of technology.
None of them require giving up your cell phone. After all, technology is not the enemy; it has become an extension of modern life.
The contemporary challenge is not to live without screens. It’s preventing screens from making us forget that we continue to inhabit a body that needs to move.
Perhaps this is the main lesson behind the so-called Tech Neck.
The future of cervical health does not depend on finding the perfect posture. It depends on recovering a habit much older than any smartphone: “movement”.
Prof. João Douglas Gil – CREFITO 3-13198
Physiotherapist
National Head of Physiotherapy at Brazil Health
