Blame Your Stiff, Sore Neck on Technology

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (CBS4) - Do you have neck and shoulder pain, stiffness and soreness? If you work at a computer or use a mobile phone or tablet then there's a good chance you suffer from a modern day malady called "tech neck."

"My neck was stiff, I had soreness back there, and I was starting to get tingling down my arms," Jim Thorburn told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

Eight hours a day at a computer had taken a toll on the Greenwood Village lawyer. The 63-year-old said a neurosurgeon recommended surgery.

"I was not really thrilled about having neck surgery," Thorburn said.

He talked with certified personal trainer, David Nutting, at Club Greenwood who has seen the problem with most of his clients. Nutting knew that hunching over a computer for hours and looking down at a phone can stress muscles and lead to pain in the neck.

"Your head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds and for every inch your head comes forward you're adding an extra 10 pounds of weight onto your neck," said Nutting.

Nutting has Jim do chin tucks to straighten and strengthen his neck.

He also does wall slides, leaning flat against a wall and sliding bent arms vertically overhead.

"Very good for posture, very good for the shoulder," said Nutting.

And Nutting recommended other exercises including pushing your head against your hand to stretch your neck.

"You're pushing there for about three to five seconds," he said.

Other ways to alleviate the symptoms of tech neck include checking your phone at eye level, getting up and moving every 15 to 30 minutes, or even better, getting your boss to spring for a standing desk.