If you’re reading this on your device, chin tucked into your chest, or leaning over your desk shaped like a question mark, pause for a moment. How’s your neck feeling?
The way we sit, scroll and work means we often hold static positions for too long, creating tension and stiffness that radiates through the upper body.
Experts say we can change how we move to counteract the strain and protect your neck.
Take ‘micro breaks’ to reset
If you work at a desk, aim to break up sitting every 30 to 45 minutes, says Dr Rocco Cavaleri, senior lecturer in physiotherapy at Western Sydney University. Simply standing up for 60 to 90 seconds is enough to reset.
“Regular ‘active breaks’ can reduce neck and back discomfort and reduce office stress,” he says.
While you are standing, he suggests taking a few deep breaths while rolling your shoulders back. Gently turn your head from side to side. Stretch your chest.
Regular posture corrections every half hour can help, says Julia Treleaven, an associate professor at the University of Queensland School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
She suggests a 10-second hold to correct your posture every half hour, where you elongate the back of the neck and “set” your shoulder blades apart. Try adding a quick 30-60 second walk during these breaks.
Vary your tasks
“Do not ignore your body’s signals, if you feel tension or discomfort, take it as a cue to move,” says Dr Poonam Mehta, senior lecturer in physiotherapy at the University of Technology in Sydney.
If you can’t move away from what you’re doing, try varying your tasks every hour, says Dr Peter Stubbs, physiotherapist and lecturer at University of Technology Sydney. So, if you have been typing for an hour, switch to a task that doesn’t require a screen – like a phone call, or making a cup of tea.
Bring the device to you
“Tame tech neck” by bringing your screen closer to eye level, Cavaleri says.
He says small habits, like using a laptop riser or propping your phone on a stand, can significantly reduce the load on your neck.
Treleaven agrees, suggesting you check that elbows and knees are at 90 degrees, screen at eye height, with keyboard and mouse close. If you use dual screens, ensure they are at the correct height and position with the main screen directly in front to avoid being in a twisted position.
You can also occasionally move your monitor slightly to the left or right, which forces your neck to rotate gently and prevents getting “stuck” in a fixed gaze, Stubbs says.
‘Tame tech neck’ by bringing your screen closer to eye level, says Dr Rocco Cavaleri, a senior lecturer in physiotherapy. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images
Gentle stretches
“Don’t crack your neck, do strong stretches or repetitive self manipulating,” Treleaven says. While this may feel good temporarily, it is risky and doesn’t help, Stubbs says.
Instead, the experts recommend gentle mobility exercises a few times a day, even while sitting.
Treleaven suggests a move called the “bow and arrow”. To do it, sit with arms extended in front of you, palms touching. Slide one hand back along your other arm, pulling your elbow back as if drawing a bowstring. Let your head follow the moving elbow, rotating gently to look behind you. Slowly reverse the motion to the start and repeat on the other side.
Stubbs recommends exercises with a small range of motion and no jerky movements such as slow, controlled neck nods.
Other effective micro-stretches he suggests are side rotations (keep your shoulders still and slowly turn your head to look over your left shoulder, then slowly to your right) and the ear-to-shoulder, in which you drop your ear down towards your shoulder without lifting your shoulder up to meet your ear. Aim for up to 30 repetitions, if comfortable, he says.
Move it
Cavaleri says regular exercise improves neck and overall musculoskeletal health. He suggests choosing walking meetings, taking the stairs, a brisk walk at lunch, or cycling to and from work.
Accumulating 30-60 minutes of moderate activity most days is a good goal, he says.
Stubbs adds that even if you have mild pain, keep up gentle movements so your neck does not freeze up.
Check your stress and sleep
“People carry stress in their neck,” Treleaven says.
Stubbs says a significant part of neck pain comes from unconscious muscle tensing, particularly in the trapezius – a pair of large triangular muscles extending over the back of the neck and shoulders.
He suggests taking a moment of mindfulness during your breaks. Ask yourself: “Am I tensing my shoulders?” then consciously drop them and relax your jaw.
Cavaleri says managing stress and sleep is key. Routines like a short wind-down stretch before bed, breathing exercises or a walk helps lower muscle tension and improve sleep quality, he says.
Sleep posture also matters, says Mehta, who recommends keeping your neck supported and in a neutral, comfortable position to help prevent unnecessary strain.
