Yes, Text Neck is a real thing! The good thing is that text neck is correctable! Today we’re sharing 3 tips we have found to implement and begin the process.
To help us on our journey to better health and proper posture, the FlexiSpot desk bike has become my new best friend. It is perfect for multi-tasking moms who want to get a good workout without leaving the comfort of home and need to make the most of those extra minutes. Thank you to our friends at for providing this product for review.
I can still remember my mom telling me over and over to sit up straight (and for that matter to chew with my mouth closed, why was that so hard as a child?! haha). I didn’t like it then, but now I realize just how important those words of advice were!
As a family, we recently started chiropractic care again after a long time away from it, and the new phrase really hit me… text neck. Given all the time and energy spent on devices, from learning apps to movies to editing their own YouTube videos, the diagnosis even came up in our own family visits.
So, I asked our Chiropractor, Dr. Raul Serrano of Ignite Chiropractic, to share some thoughts on text neck as well, and offer a few solutions to help correct it, even from home!
Whenever we are on our mobile devices or working at our computers we are looking down and when our kids are in school they are slouching at a desk for 4-5 hours a day. Why is this bad? Well it has to do with your brain and nervous system. Your brain and nervous system controls everything. And your brain sends messages down the spine, through your neck first before it gets to the rest of your body.
The problem is that with poor posture, text neck, the brain’s messages are interfered with and alter the communication between the brain and organs. This directly affects the way your whole-body functions and creates an environment where your body begins to build disease.
3 Simple Things You Can Do to Avoid Text Neck
There is hope and text neck is correctable! Here are the 3 tips we have for you to implement into your lifestyle and into your family to begin the process.
1. Devices at eye level – “We have a rule in our house that if we are on a device it is at eye level. What begins to happen with our children is that their arms will get tired and they begin to lower the device. And when that happens, we take the device away (no questions asked – we love this rule). This helps their posture and also encourages them not to want the device, because they know if they can’t hold it up they can’t have it. It’s a win win!”
With that said, for me and a job at the computer, I’ve found the same needs to happen… I need to find ways to have my computer higher and more at eye level. This is where the Flexispot desk works well for me! Besides burning some extra calories while I burn through emails, I’ve got a place to hold my water to keep me hydrated AND I’m improving my posture as I sit or stand at the desk.
I’m loving the versatility of it, and I often sit at it in the evening as well to slowly pedal away while I finish up some work or watch a show on TV, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to get in some extra exercise!
I need to mention that this desk bike came almost ready to go to. Initially I was worried it could be difficult to build, but we only had to pop the desk onto the base, slide in the wheels and it was ready to ride. The desk height is adjustable so you can set it to a level that’s most comfortable for you. There is also a center knob that allows you to change the intensity of your workout by adjusting the resistance. Plus, you can track your calories, speed and distance with the digital display.
2. (For Kids) Play that encourages good posture – “Crawling with kids! We play zoo animals a lot. What happens when you are in the crawling position, you have to bring your neck up to crawl, and you have to use your left hand and right foot and vice versa which works to help build left and right brain coordination/connections (cross crawl technique). We also think of exercises you do as an adult and turn them into play. Such as plank competitions, bridges, etc.”
3. Wall Stands – “This is a simple exercise your whole family can do. Push your shoulder blades back and down against the wall, push your palms down and push your neck in, (creating a double chin) and hold your whole back against the wall for 10 seconds. This encourages strong upper back muscles (rhomboids), helps re-build the neck curve, opens the chest and strengthens overall posture. Repeat this 10 times/10 sec daily.”
So tell me, have you heard of text neck before? Or even just felt sore from a day of work? I hope these tips help you and your family get on the road to recovery and living a healthier life!
GiGi Eats says
Ha! I had no idea. I don’t really strain my neck when I text, so I have never felt any repercussions but, perhaps I have okay posture?! lol
Marsha says
Omg I’ve been in physical therapy for more than 8 weeks and I’m pretty sure it all started with text neck! It sounds so silly but it is real. Bad posture, bad positioning and a lot of stress and boom my neck, shoulders and arms are in severe pain. Thanks for the article and the tips.