Condition
Text neck: causes, symptoms and how to fix it
A clinically reviewed guide to text neck — device-related neck strain and how to relieve it.
- Neck
Quick answer
Text neck is neck and upper-back strain from prolonged looking down at phones and devices. It usually causes tension rather than damage, and improves with device habits, movement breaks and strengthening.
Key facts
- Text neck comes from prolonged forward-head, looking-down posture.
- It usually causes muscle tension, not structural damage.
- Simple habit and strength changes are highly effective.
What is text neck?
Text neck is muscle strain in the neck and upper back from spending long periods looking down at a phone or device.
Holding the head forward and down loads the neck muscles for extended periods. The good news is that this usually reflects sustained tension rather than lasting damage.
What are the symptoms of text neck?
Common symptoms are neck and upper-back tension, stiffness and headaches that build up over a day of device use.
- Aching or tension in the neck and upper back
- Stiffness and reduced neck movement
- Headaches from the base of the skull
- Shoulder tightness
How do I fix text neck?
Text neck improves with raising devices to eye level, taking regular breaks, and strengthening the neck and upper-back muscles.
At Postura Wellness, care for text neck is built around OrthoRestore™ — our signature method that combines chiropractic and physiotherapy into one coordinated plan. Depending on your assessment, it can bring together chiropractic adjustments, dry needling, muscle manipulation, Active Release Technique, and targeted exercises, supported where helpful by technology such as shockwave therapy and bioelectric therapy. The aim is to relieve symptoms while addressing the underlying causes, with a plan tailored to you.
See a clinician if neck pain spreads into the arm with numbness or weakness, or is accompanied by severe headaches or dizziness.
- Hold your phone higher, closer to eye level
- Take movement breaks every 20–30 minutes
- Strengthen the neck, upper-back and postural muscles
- Use manual therapy to ease built-up tension if needed
Get a clear plan for your text neck
Book an assessment at either branch and get a tailored plan.
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified clinician about your individual condition.
Sources
- Neck Injuries and Disorders — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Back Pain — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Know Your Back — North American Spine Society
- Health Topics — NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- Bones, Joints and Muscles — MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Muscle and Bone Diseases — NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases