Written by Aviva Tulasi
Technology is changing our lives. We have the world at our fingertips. But the tool that helps keep us connected has a profound effect on our spine. Maybe you have images of humans evolving to slouch over a computer or perhaps you notice that you are looking down more often. Our beloved technology is affecting how we hold our neck and in response our spine health. The new norm of checking phones and tablets promotes us to spend more time with our shoulders hunched, neck flexed, head forward and chest withdrawn, a position that is sometimes called tech neck. Six years ago, Dr. Kornel, a spine surgeon, wrote about this trend, “the effect on the body of these devices can be very detrimental to the spine, particularly the neck, and this is directly related to the postural changes this technology encourages.”
Tech neck puts a lot of strain on your neck fascia, joints and muscles of the upper back and shoulder. According to the Metropolitan Pain and Spine Institute, in a neutral position of the neck, the weight of your head is between 10 and 12 pounds. If you bend your neck forward 15 degrees, the weight of your head doubles to around 27 pounds. If you bend your neck at 45 degrees, the weight of the head is almost 50 pounds. Any time you look down, you move the center of gravity forward just a little bit and the head is heavier. No matter how much you look down when you go to check your devices, there is a tendency to jett the chin and head forward. This can cause the muscles that help hold your head in neutral balanced posture, to work as a sling instead to help hold the weight of the head forward and creating a new pattern in your fascia that can lead to injury elsewhere In the body, like the low back, hips and feet.
We know we are not going to stop using technology, therefore we have to be mindful of what we do to counteract our posture habits. The best thing to do is to limit your time in the tech neck position, move around and stretch. It is a good idea to spend the same amount of time or even more, in the opposite position of a flexed neck. We need to be proactive about healthy extension of the neck and find time to strengthen the muscles of the back of the neck.
Yoga offers opportunities to strengthen and lengthen the neck with postures such as sphinx and fish variations. In addition, yoga promotes a sense of self as we explore sensations. We can notice our typical patterns in holding our heads by checking in with what we feel as we move the neck. Take the time to notice what positions feel big. It is always a good idea to spend a little more time in the positions where you feel a bigger stretch to help balance the daily habits of our spine.
Learn to pay attention to sensations of the body and how you hold your neck with a yoga class. We have many options to support a healthy spine.
Sign up for a group class.
This June we welcome Jacob Tyson to our schedule Wednesdays 5:45-6:45 pm for PhysiYoga Flow: Function and Fluidity. This class will help you learn how to move the way your body is intended to move. Attend either Online or In Person
Our Mindful Movement and Yoga and ABS classes focus on healthy neck position countering the effect of holding the head forward or even of teck neck through awareness and movement.
Dogwood Studios will not have Mindful Movement and Yoga on Memorial Day, this Monday May 30th in honor of our fallen soldiers.
Reach out to us via email with any questions or comments at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com.
Aviva Chaye Tulasi is a team member at Dogwood Studios. She is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). She applies the teachings of classical yoga to reduce the effects of negative stress and to balance the nervous system. Aviva is available for private sessions. Email Aviva at yogawithtulasi@gmail.com with any questions.
SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.