What Is Tech Neck? Symptoms, Causes and Exercises That Can Help

• Caused by prolonged screen use
• Often linked to poor posture
• Can contribute to headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating
• Usually improves with posture changes and regular movement
• Strengthening key neck muscles may help reduce symptoms

You're probably doing it right now: leaning your head forward and looking down at a screen. And you're not alone. American adults spend an average of five to six hours each day on their smartphones, not including the hours spent working on computers. Together, that screen time can create the perfect conditions for tech neck.

Also known as screen-related neck pain, tech neck refers to mild to moderate neck discomfort caused by prolonged use of phones, tablets and computers. When we lean our heads forward to look at a screen, the muscles in the neck and shoulders must work harder to support the weight of the head. Over time, that strain can lead to pain, stiffness and fatigue.

“Tech neck is not an official diagnosis, but we are definitely seeing it in the clinic. I call it neck tightness or postural concerns,” says Cassidy Foley Davelaar, DO, a sports medicine physician at Emory.

According to Foley, the condition is becoming increasingly common as screen use continues to rise.

Tech neck develops when poor smartphone posture or prolonged computer use places excess stress on the muscles, joints and nerves of the neck and upper back.

When your head moves forward from its neutral position, the load on your neck increases significantly. Our head, on average, weighs about 12 pounds at rest. If we bring our head forward, the posture alongside the effect of gravity increases our head’s weight by three-fold.

"The further your head comes forward, the more the muscles of the neck contract to keep the head from dropping off the body. Basically, that's why we get fatigue," says Peter Sprague, DPT, an orthopaedic clinical specialist at Emory

Symptoms often develop gradually and may worsen with extended screen time.

You may have tech neck if you experience:

• Neck pain or stiffness
• Aching shoulders or upper back
• Headaches
• Muscle fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Reduced range of motion in the neck
• Numbness or tingling in the upper body
• Increased discomfort after phone or computer use

While severe neck pain is commonly associated with injuries such as falls or car accidents, neck pain from phone use can affect daily activities and quality of life when left unchecked.

Poor posture doesn't just affect your neck. Over time, repeatedly hunching forward can place stress on the spine and surrounding nerves.

People who spend long periods looking down at phones or laptops may develop muscle imbalances. The muscles at the back of the neck become overworked while the deep stabilizing muscles at the front of the neck become less active.

In more severe cases, individuals may experience numbness, balance issues or widespread muscle dysfunction.

"The deep flexor muscles hold and control one vertebra on top of the other and act as seatbelts,” says Sprague. “If they are weaker, one has a higher risk of developing cervical spine pain."

If you're wondering how to fix tech neck, prevention starts with reducing strain on the neck throughout the day.

Here are some simple ways to improve smartphone posture:

• Keep screens at eye level whenever possible.
• Raise your laptop using books or a laptop stand.
• Use a separate keyboard and mouse for better ergonomics.
• Sit with your ankles, knees, hips and elbows at approximately 90-degree angles.
• Take movement breaks every 20 minutes.
• Avoid staying in one position for long periods.
• Alternate positions while using your phone, such as standing, kneeling or lying on your side.

"Stop what's causing it in the first place by having better posture," says Davelaar. "Sit 90 degrees at your ankle, knees, hips and elbows and prop your phone up or put your laptop on a couple of books and use a remote keyboard."

According to Sprague, frequent position changes may be even more beneficial than any single exercise.

"Our bodies are engineered to move, and we don't," he says. "My best advice — even better than the exercises — would be to change and alter your positions."

Targeted exercises can help improve posture, mobility and muscle activation.

Chin tuck

• Best for: Activating deep neck flexor muscles
• A chin tuck is one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the muscles that help support and stabilize the cervical spine.
• How to do it:
• Gently bring your chin toward your chest, creating a slight double chin.
• Imagine a string pulling the crown of your head upward.
• Hold for two to three seconds.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat several times throughout the day.

Open book exercise

• Best for: Improving upper back mobility and stretching the chest

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees.
• Extend both arms in front of you with palms together.
• Move your top arm up while keeping your legs in the same position. Hold.
• Repeat on both sides.
• Sweeping the arm up and down allows the opportunity to identify where it's tight and to make sure to stretch that area.

W rows

Best for: Improving posture and strengthening upper back muscles

How to do it:

• Hold a resistance band with both hands.
• Pull your hands apart while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Form a "W" shape with your arms.
• Slowly return to the starting position without rounding your shoulders.

This exercise targets the middle and lower trapezius muscles, rotator cuff muscles and spinal stabilizers.

Doorway stretch

Best for: Opening the chest and reducing forward shoulder posture

How to do it:

• Place your arms on either side of a doorway.
• lean forward so that you’re stretching out the front of the chest, shoulders and neck.
• Breathe deeply and repeat as needed.

Tech neck is increasingly common in a world dominated by smartphones, tablets and computers. The good news is that most cases of screen-related neck pain improve with better posture, regular movement and targeted strengthening exercises.

Whether you're dealing with mild tech neck symptoms or simply want to prevent neck pain from phone use, small changes in daily habits can make a big difference for your long-term neck and spine health.