According to Women's Health Magazine, tech neck is a term for the stiffness, soreness, and tension experienced in your neck and shoulders after spending prolonged time looking down at your phone, iPad, laptop, other device, or even old school, paper reading material. And unfortunately, it’s becoming all too common, with 73 percent of university students and 64.7 percent of people working from home experiencing neck or lower back pain, according to a 2022 study in Acta Medica Academia. But don't stress, because this posture issue is completely fixable. 

Tech neck might start as mild discomfort, but if left unchecked, it can lead to more serious issues in the long run. The forward head posture puts significant strain on the cervical spine, causing the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck and upper back to work overtime to support the weight of your head (it’s heavy!). Over time, this can lead to muscle imbalances, joint degeneration, and even disc bulges or herniated discs. “Long term effects of tech neck include chronic neck pain and headache, pain from compressed nerves going to the arms and poor balance resulting from poor posture," according to Jennifer O'Connell, MD, physiatrist at HSS. 

Read the full article at womenshealthmag.com.