Let’s face it, most of us spend too much time on our cellphones. Messaging friends, checking social media, watching YouTube videos, etc. We can accidentally waste hours each day scrolling on our smartphones. Ignoring what this might mean for us as a society, this kind of behavior can be really bad for our posture and can even cause or worsen pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. But massage might be able to help.

What is “text neck”?

The term text neck was coined a few years ago to describe the resulting posture and pain caused by looking down at your phone for long periods of time each day. Bending our necks forward in this way puts a lot of pressure on the neck and spine, which can lead to damage over time. You might notice poor posture on people who spend a lot of time on their phone, with their neck and shoulders naturally slumping forward.

As well as worsening our posture, spending too much time staring down at our screens can give us a stiff neck, more frequent headaches, and pain in the lower neck, upper back, and shoulders.

How to treat text neck

As well as cutting down on your screen time, there are some stretches and massage treatments that can help to relieve pain and improve posture caused by this phenomenon. Healthline has a list of basic exercises and stretches you can do yourself.

You should also watch your posture while using your mobile phone. Try to hold your phone higher so that it is at eye level, meaning you don’t have to bend your neck to look down at it. Also, try to take breaks when using your phone and don’t stay in the same position for too long.

Massage can really help to treat the pain caused by smartphone usage, as well as improving posture over time. Lots of different massages can help to relieve neck pain, including Swedish massage and trigger point therapy. A massage therapist will be able to identify any knots or points of tension and work on them to treat the root of your pain. Combining massage with improved phone habits will help to keep you pain-free.

Do you need a massage to help you beat text neck? You can contact Moonstone Massage, visit us in Winston Salem, NC, or book a massage with us online. Let us help you improve your posture and relieve your pain caused by those pesky mobile devices.