By Dr Ben Bounassif - Chiropractor at Moorooka Chiropractic Centre
It’s about 3pm. The back of your neck feels tight, there’s a dull ache creeping across your shoulders, and a headache is starting to build behind your eyes. You roll your shoulders, give your neck a quick stretch, and keep going, because there’s another two hours of work to get through.
If that sounds familiar, you’re dealing with tech neck, which is really neck pain from desk work, and you’re not alone. I see it in clinic every week, mostly from people who spend their days at a desk or on a screen. In this article we’ll look at why it happens, three fixes you can start today, and when it’s worth getting your neck checked.
Key takeaways
- Tech neck is the everyday name for neck and upper back pain that builds up from long stretches at screens. It’s a pattern, not a sign that something is broken.
- The biggest driver is staying in one position for too long, rather than one “bad” posture.
- Three fixes help most people: break up long sitting, raise your screen and phone, and do three quick movements. See a health professional if you have any warning signs (listed below).
What is tech neck?
“Tech neck” is the everyday name for neck and upper back pain that builds up from long stretches looking at screens: laptops, monitors, phones and tablets. It isn’t a formal diagnosis, and it’s not a sign that something is “broken”. It’s a pattern. Your head drifts forward, your shoulders round, your upper back stiffens up, and the muscles around your neck end up doing far more work than they were designed to.
Why does neck pain from desk work happen?
Your head weighs roughly 4 to 5 kilos, about the same as a bowling ball. When it sits comfortably over your shoulders, your spine and muscles share that load nicely. When it drifts forward, which it tends to do when you lean in towards a screen, the muscles at the back of your neck and upper back have to work harder to stop it dropping.
Think about carrying a heavy shopping bag. Close to your body, it’s manageable. Held out at arm’s length, your arm is burning within a couple of minutes. Now imagine doing that for eight hours.
Here’s what tends to happen:
- Muscles get tired and tight. Muscles are built to move. When they hold one position for hours, they fatigue, tighten up and get sore.
- Joints get stiff. The joints in your neck and upper back like movement too. Sit still long enough and they become stiffer and less willing to move.
- Your neck picks up the slack. When your upper back stops moving well, your neck often has to compensate, and it ends up overworked.
- Pain can spread. Tight neck muscles and stiff joints at the top of the neck can contribute to headaches, as well as aches across the tops of your shoulders and between your shoulder blades.
Stress, poor sleep and not much movement outside of work can all pile on top of this, which is why two people with the same desk set-up can feel very different by the end of the day.
Is “bad posture” the problem?
Not exactly. There’s no single perfect posture that everyone should hold, and sitting bolt upright isn’t the answer either. That gets tiring pretty quickly.
The real issue is staying in any one position for too long. Your body is designed to move, so the best posture is usually your next one. If you’d like the bigger picture, see our guide to the common causes of poor posture and our article on forward head posture.
Signs your neck pain might be tech neck
- A tight, achy or stiff neck that builds through the day and eases on the weekend or after a break
- Tenderness or soreness across the tops of your shoulders or between your shoulder blades (neck and shoulder pain)
- A dull headache that starts at the base of your skull
- Stiffness when you turn your head to shoulder check while driving
3 fixes for tech neck
You don’t need a perfect set-up or an expensive chair. Small changes add up. Start with these three.
Fix 1: Break up long sitting
- Move more often. Aim to change position about every 30 minutes. Stand up, grab a glass of water, walk to the printer, roll your shoulders back.
- Rest your eyes. Every 20 minutes, look at something about 6 metres away for 20 seconds. Tired eyes often make you lean in towards the screen without realising.
Fix 2: Raise your screen and your phone
- Raise your screen. The top of your monitor should sit around eye level, about an arm’s length away. If you work on a laptop, a stand plus a separate keyboard and mouse makes a big difference.
- Lift your phone, not your head. Bring your phone up closer to eye level rather than dropping your head down to it, and use voice-to-text for longer messages.
- Support your arms. Keep your elbows close to your body and your forearms supported so your shoulders aren’t hauled up towards your ears.
Fix 3: Do three quick movements
Do these once or twice during the day. Move gently, and stop if an exercise increases your pain or causes dizziness, tingling or numbness.
- Chin tucks. Sit tall and gently glide your chin straight back, like you’re making a double chin. Hold for two seconds, then relax. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
- Shoulder blade squeezes. Draw your shoulder blades gently back and down. Hold for five seconds, then release. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
- Seated upper back rotations. Sit tall, cross your arms over your chest and slowly rotate your upper body one way, then the other. Repeat about 5 times each side.
Bonus tip: look after your upper back outside work. A walk at lunch and some regular strength work for your upper back (think rows and band pull-aparts) help your body cope with long days at a desk.
For more on desk-related aches, see our article on back pain after returning to work: what desk workers should know.
Can tech neck cause headaches?
It can contribute. Tight neck muscles and stiff joints at the top of the neck are one common source of headaches, often felt at the base of the skull and sometimes spreading towards the forehead or behind the eyes. If your headaches are frequent, severe or new for you, it’s worth getting them assessed. We cover this in more detail in neck pain and headaches: when to see a chiropractor.
When to see a chiropractor for neck pain
If your neck pain has lasted more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, or is getting in the way of work, sleep or driving, an assessment can help work out what’s driving it.
A chiropractor will look at how your neck, upper back and shoulders are moving, work out which areas are stiff and which are overworking, and tailor care to you. That might include hands-on techniques like spinal adjustments, mobilisation and soft tissue work, which aim to help reduce pain and improve movement, plus specific exercises and practical advice on your work set-up so the problem is less likely to keep coming back. You can read more about our approach to chiropractic care for neck pain.
Not sure whether to see a chiropractor, physio or your GP? Our guide to chiro vs physio vs osteopathy can help you decide.
Frequently asked questions
| Can sitting at a desk cause neck pain? | It can contribute. Long periods in one position, especially with your head forward, can tire the muscles around your neck and stiffen the joints. Taking regular movement breaks and adjusting your screen height can help. |
| How do I fix neck pain from sitting at a desk? | Start with the three fixes above: break up long sitting, raise your screen and phone, and do the three quick movements. If your pain lasts more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, or comes with any of the warning signs above, get it assessed. |
| Is tech neck a real condition? | Tech neck is a common name for a pattern of neck and upper back pain that builds up from long periods of screen use, rather than a formal medical diagnosis. The discomfort is real, and there are things that can help. |
| How long does desk-related neck pain last? | It varies. Many people find it eases within days to weeks once they change their habits, but it can keep returning if the pattern stays the same. If it lasts more than a couple of weeks or keeps coming back, it’s worth getting assessed. |
| Should I see a chiropractor, physio or GP for neck pain? | See your GP first if you have any of the warning signs above or you’re unsure what’s going on. For neck pain that looks muscular or joint-related, a chiropractor or physio can assess you and tailor care. If your pain doesn’t fit that pattern, a chiropractor can refer you on. |
Book an assessment in Moorooka
Neck pain that keeps coming back after work? Book an assessment at Moorooka Chiropractic Centre, 168 Beaudesert Road, Moorooka, or call (07)38488526.
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This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal medical advice. If you have questions about your own situation, please speak with a health professional.