As much as cell phones are a boon to our daily lives, our over-reliance on them make it all too easy to ignore the people we are with. Not only do they limit social engagement, but excessive cell phone usage has the potential to alter your anatomy and affect your health. Read on to learn how as well as tips on ways to counteract text neck.

Slouching and the Spine

You may already be aware of how cell phones affect your posture, causing pain. But did you know that cell phone usage can also change our anatomy?

USA Today reported on an Australian study in which researchers examined hundreds of X-rays of adults ages 18-30. They observed that about half had bone growths at the back of their heads that resembled “horns.” The researchers attributed the growths to excessive rounding of the upper back that typical occurs with cell phone usage.

American adults spend an average of about 3 hours on their smartphones every day. Combined with laptop and other technology use, that means we spend many hours a day looking down or slouching.  According to Physiopedia, an additional 10 pounds of force are placed on the muscles that support the neck for every inch the head moves forward. This misalignment of our head and neck quickly leads to pain and postural changes for all ages. 

Pain in the Neck

Nicknamed “text” or “tech” neck, excessive rounding of the thoracic spine or Forward Head Posture (FHP), is linked to many common health issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain and eye strain. The additional weight affects our spine as well as the entire body in a host of ways:

• Pulls the entire spine out of alignment
• Strains the muscles, tendons and ligaments of neck, spine, and shoulders. The result is they have to work harder and can become inflamed and sore
• Contributes to headaches
• Reduces lung capacity up to 30% because the ribs cannot expand properly
• Affects the digestive system, particularly the large intestine and bowels
• Reduces blood circulation and increase strain on the heart

We aren’t going to throw our cell phones away, so what can we do? Technology is here to stay, but there are three ways to counteract its not so desired effect on our bodies with yoga.

3 Ways to Counteract Text Neck with Yoga

1) Practice Axial Extension

Lengthening the spine reduces the compression of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. Incorporate more standing yoga poses that emphasize elongating the spine, such as Mountain (Tadasana), Tree (Vriksasana) and Warrior I and II (Virabhadrasana I and II).

2) Practice Heart-Opening Poses

The muscles of the upper chest and shoulders become shortened and tight with FHP, effectually closing off the heart center. To counteract this, practice poses like Supported Fish (Matsyasana), Bridge (Setu Bandhasana) and Camel (Ustrasana) which strengthen and expand the upper chest. Be sure to linger in these poses, focusing on using the breath to expand the chest and lungs as you broaden through your collarbones.

3) Strengthen Your Upper Back

Many prone poses utilize the supporting muscles of the upper back, neck and spine. These are the same muscles that enable you to stand tall and maintain good posture. In your practice, incorporate poses like Locust (Salabhasana), Balancing Cat (Uttiha Marjariasana) and Cobra (Bhujangasana) which strengthen the muscles of the upper back.

By including a few of each of these poses in your practice, over time you have less pain and better posture. Then again, you could put your phone down and look up once in a while, too.

Be well!

Bonus Video: Short Practice To Help Relieve Your Neck And Shoulder Stress

published 2/10/20; updated 9/1/24

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