You wouldn’t think that cell phone use would be part of a blog that focuses on movement would you!? But the truth is staring down at your cell phone for hours a day can cause major neck issues over time.
Don’t Just Slum Your Head Forward!
If you just let your head slide forward and don’t use your muscles to support your head you’re asking for trouble. Because we spend so much time staring at our cell phones, doing it with proper neck alignment has become really important.
Instead of just dropping your head forward and letting your head rest on your ligaments use better technique. At first it won’t feel normal but over time your muscles will strengthen and it will become second nature.
The Right Technique
First make sure you’re starting with good neck alignment. Reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling. This will extend your neck and create proper spacing between all your vertebra.
Next tuck your chin toward your collar bones. This will make sure that all the vertebra will bend evenly. At first this will likely be uncomfortable. Many of these muscles will be weak and short. But over time they will return to proper function.
Imagine that! Helping your body while using your cell phone! You can also vary the position of the cell phone when you look at it. Sometimes high, sometimes low, or on the left, or on the right. This will keep your neck from holding the exact same position all the time.
This doesn’t mean it’s cool to look at your cell phone for hours a day. This is just a compromise so that you can minimize any damage that staring at your cell phone will do to your spine! Give it a shot and let me know about your experience!
