How Screens Are Hurting Your Spine (and What to Do About It)
It’s been great having the West Byfleet chiro team back after their week away – lovely to catch up with everyone and hear what they’ve been up to. The clinic’s buzzing again, and we’re back into the swing of things.
On the home front, I’ve been enjoying doing the school run with the kids and soaking up the last of the autumn sunshine while it lasts. There’s something quite nice about that crisp morning air (before the winter rain kicks in!).
We are still deep in the trenches of sleep training with Baby Jack. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster, one good night, followed by three questionable ones but we’re getting there slowly. Any sleep training tips are still very welcome…
We also have a big milestone this weekend Charlotte and I have our first night away from Jack. It feels strange and exciting in equal measure.… we’re off to see Oasis at Wembley tonight! Expect a full gig report next time – I’m very, very excited (and slightly nervous about staying awake past 9:30pm).
A big shoutout to Michael, who won the grand prize in our Chiropractic Birthday Giveaway. We’ll be sharing more about his journey once he comes in for his first session keep your eyes peeled for updates. And well done to all our runners-up too thanks for helping us celebrate Chiropractic’s 130th birthday in style.
Hope you’re all keeping well and staying cosy as we head into the colder months. Is it time to put the heating on yet?
We live in the golden age of screens. Laptops, tablets, phones they’re everywhere. We tap, scroll, Zoom, binge-watch… and rarely think about what we are doing to our necks, backs, and posture. But research is now showing that this “screen lifestyle” is doing more damage than just tired eyes. Let’s dive into what recent studies reveal and, more importantly, what you can do about it.
1. Text Neck Syndrome: More Than Just a Buzzword
A detailed review looked at adults over 18 and spoke about “Text Neck Syndrome” a growing public-health issue. It links incorrect use of phones, tablets, and computers especially keeping the head flexed forward with poor posture to neck pain, cervical degeneration, and other symptoms like headaches and reduced range of motion.
You only need to walk to West Byfleet station in the morning and look down at the platform, everyone is looking down at their phones and putting stress on their necks.
It is particularly bad for people working from home and university students showed very high rates of neck/back discomfort, often tied to screen overuse. Alexandra-Regina Tsantili et al 2022
2. Screen Time & Neck Pain: The Real Numbers
A study of 100 participants found strong correlations between hours spent looking at screens, poor posture (like forward head and rounded shoulders), and neck pain. Low physical activity made things worse.
You knew that already, so how can you combat working from home or staring at a screen? One thing we advise our clients is to stand up every 15 minutes, this resets the spine, gives the discs a break and doesn’t put prolonged stress on your back.
For bonus points try some of these stretches below to give your back a good workout whilst you are working.
Meanwhile, another study reports that prolonged smart-device use (phones, tablets, laptops) is significantly associated with higher reports of neck discomfort; the longer the screen exposure, the worse the symptoms.
3. Sedentary Behavior: Screen Time’s Partner in Crime
Sedentary sitting and screen time is a dangerous combo. According to Mayo Clinic Health System, bending your neck forward and slumping shoulders for long periods puts excess stress on spinal discs, muscles, and ligaments.
This can lead to cervical disc issues, so if you have pins and needles in your hands or arms, or pain on the inside of your shoulder blade, this can often be the reason. Take breaks and do the wall angel exercise to help take pressure off your blades and restore the curve in your neck.
A recent BMC Public Health systematic review found that sitting more than six hours a day, especially doing screen-based tasks, increases risk of neck pain by nearly 88% compared to those who aren’t sedentary.
4. Young to Old: Poor Posture Now Means Pain Later
Adolescents and young adults are already showing signs. A physiotherapy review found significant association between screen use and musculoskeletal neck pain in teens, especially with poor posture and little movement breaks. I notice this more and more now, with kids coming into the clinic with pain, our children are more sedentary than ever and it is important we try to encourage them to be more active.
Some of these posture habits (forward head posture, slouched shoulders) are now being detected as early as school age, setting the stage for chronic discomfort later in life. Alexandra-Regina Tsantili et al 2022
Why Screens Cause Spinal Stress
- Forward Head Posture (FHP): Each inch your head moves forward increases the load on your neck muscles. Holding your head bent forward to look at a phone or laptop forces your cervical spine to compensate. Alexandra-Regina Tsantili et al 2022
- Static Load and Repetition: Staying in one position for too long slumped, looking down, shoulders rounded means muscles stay tense, discs compressed, joints stressed. Eventually this leads to pain, fatigue, stiffness. The University of Alabama at Birmingham et al 2025
- Reduced Movement & Poor Ergonomics: Without frequent posture changes, breaks, ergonomic setups (screen at eye-level, good chair support), the spine doesn’t get the relief it needs. Over time, these habits compound.
Screens aren’t going anywhere; they’re part of modern life. But your spine doesn’t have to suffer. The latest research is clear: posture matters, screen time matters, movement matters. With a few different habits you can protect your neck, ease pain, and feel lighter in your body again.
References
- Alexandra-Regina Tsantili et al 2022 – Text Neck Syndrome: Disentangling a New Epidemic. PMC
- Ifran Andleeb Gul et al 2025 – Evaluating the Association Between Screen Time, Postural Abnormalities, Physical Activity Levels and Neck Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study: Reasearch Gate
- Kassem El Shunnar et al 2024 – The impact of excessive use of smart portable devices on neck pain and associated musculoskeletal symptoms. Prospective questionnaire-based study and review of literature: ScienceDirect
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham et al 2025 Tech Neck: How Does the Use of Technology Impact Your Neck? UAB Medicine.
- Feeling the Strain of Screen Time? 3 Ways to Prevent “Tech Neck”. MU Health Care: Live Healthy 2025 2025
- Mayo Clinic Health System et al 2024 – ‘Tech neck’: Technology’s effect on your neck
And if all else fails why not come and have an adjustment with the Chiropractor to help with your neck pain
If you are wanting to chat more about the information above then why not book a call with me and we can go into more detail? Click here to book or if you want to get an assessment then Book a consultation with a Chiropractor here
If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this assessment as well to diagnose their back pain. It is a great tool to understand where your back pain is coming from, it is free and takes 60 seconds. Click here for assessment
