From an early age, children use digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, television, and computers.
According to Santé Publique France, French children aged 6 to 17 spend more than 4 hours a day in front of screens. However, sedentary lifestyles and overexposure to screens increase the risk of musculoskeletal tension and pain.
When a child or teenager looks at a smartphone or tablet, they adopt a posture that is very taxing on the body. The digital device is often placed too low, causing the head to tilt forward, shoulders to round, and back to curve.
This inappropriate posture, maintained for several hours each day, can lead to cervical pain. This neck pain syndrome, linked to prolonged screen use, now has its own term: Tech Neck, also known as Text Neck.
How to recognize the symptoms of Tech Neck and how to protect our children's necks?
What is Tech Neck syndrome?
Text Neck or texting cervicalgia: the neck pain of the century
The term "text neck" or Tech Neck emerged to describe the widespread use of smartphones and tablets and the posture adopted while viewing them. As the screen is often placed low, the user flexes their head and neck forward to view content.
Texting, video games on smartphones, watching videos, social media, reading, and internet research significantly increase screen time.
Over time, this prolonged Tech Neck position impacts posture, with a tendency for intense screen users to flex their necks forward.
This strained position can eventually trigger musculoskeletal disorders, particularly cervicalgia, which causes pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.
Why does our head feel so heavy when we look at a screen?
Scientific literature has examined the biomechanical phenomenon of the head tilting forward to view screens.
A head held straight, meaning aligned with the neck, weighs approximately 5 kg.
However, tilting it causes an overload on the cervical spine. Thus, with a 30° tilt, the head exerts a force equivalent to 18 kg on the cervical spine. When tilted at 60°, its weight is equivalent to 27 kg of pressure on the neck.
The phenomenon is simple: the more the head is tilted, the more the cervical muscles are stressed, and the greater the postural fatigue.
From toddler tablets to teen smartphones
"iPad neck": the invisible danger for 4-8 year olds
Young children frequently place their tablets on their laps, on the floor, or on a table while watching. However, the screen being placed so low requires tilting the head, flexing the neck, and rounding the back.
In this prolonged "iPad Neck" position, the child is particularly vulnerable. Fatigue and pain can appear, whereas a tablet placed slightly higher would reduce tension.
The impact of smartphones on adolescent breathing and stress
Adolescents are heavy smartphone users. But this time spent on their screens is not without consequences.
A hunched-forward posture limits the opening range of the rib cage and, consequently, restricts breathing.
Conversely, deep breathing is beneficial for health in many ways. On the one hand, it oxygenates the brain and muscles, contributing to the proper functioning of the body. On the other hand, it helps to release physical and mental tension.
While discomfort may not be immediate, over time, shallow breathing can increase fatigue and stress.
Why are children more vulnerable than adults?
As children are growing, movement and physical activity are necessary for their development. However, sedentary behavior has increased in recent years, particularly with the ever-growing place of screens in our lives.
The Santé Publique France summary, published in 2024, showed this decline in physical exercise among children and adolescents. Only 33% of girls and 51% of boys aged 6 to 17 meet the WHO recommendations for physical activity.
Poor postures linked to overexposure to screens have immediate consequences for children and adolescents. Tension, stiffness, and even pain appear in the upper back and neck muscles.
Long-term impacts of Tech Neck are also emerging in younger individuals. Hours spent in cervical flexion can alter the natural cervical curve. By adapting, the still-forming structures cause a shortening of the muscles at the front of the neck and lengthen those at the back.
Recent studies suggest that excessive smartphone use accelerates the degeneration of cervical discs in younger individuals. Among the causes of this premature degeneration, repeated poor postures related to screen viewing are widely suspected.
How does posture evolve with screens?
If the screen is not placed directly at eye level when seated (which is rarely the case when using a smartphone or tablet), the adopted posture quickly creates tension.
Head tilted forward
With a tablet on the lap or a smartphone in hand, the head will inevitably tilt forward, as the screen is too low to keep it straight.
Increased load on the cervical spine
In this head-down position, the neck is in flexion and the cervical muscles are heavily strained. The load exerted on the cervical spine intensifies as time passes. The longer the posture is held, the greater the tension.
Shoulder compensation
It is common for children to bring their shoulders forward and round them to bring their arms closer to their bodies and their heads closer to the screen. The movement of the shoulders is actually a compensation that creates tension in the trapezius and shoulder blades.
Rounding of the upper back
The Tech Neck posture ends with a rounded back. The muscles are completely relaxed, and the child is slouched. The danger would be to develop a scoliotic attitude by maintaining a hunched-back position.
A recent study observed this tendency for forward neck flexion in children after a long period of smartphone viewing.
Tech Neck Symptoms: What Signs to Watch For in Children?
Neck pain, stiffness in the neck, and shoulder tension
Does your child complain of neck pain? Do they have difficulty turning their head? This stiffness may be a sign of overly intense cervical muscle strain due to excessive screen use.
A 2017 study clearly established a link between cervical pain in adolescents and the hunched posture they maintain while using their screens.
Unexplained headaches
Even if not all headaches should be attributed to poor posture during screen viewing, frequent headaches, especially at the end of the day, are among the symptoms of Tech Neck.
Eye strain
Scientific research has shown that intensive screen viewing is responsible for eye strain, which manifests through the following symptoms:
- Stinging or burning sensation
- Dry or irritated eyes
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
To relieve these discomforts, it is recommended to apply the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Visible posture change: appearance of a rounded back or early kyphosis
If you notice a change in your child's spinal alignment with the appearance of a curved back, if they complain of frequent pain, and if they experience stiffness, it may be recommended to consult a doctor.
Without being systematic, repeated hunched posture can lead to early kyphosis (a curvature of the back).
What are the medium and long-term consequences for your child and adolescent?
Increased sedentary lifestyle
Between meals, school, homework, and screen time, children and adolescents in France do not meet the WHO's recommendations of 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children and adolescents aged 5 to 17.
This increased childhood sedentary lifestyle increases health risks (obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, sleep disorders, etc.), to the point that it has become a real public health issue.
Risk of early chronic pain
Tech Neck is a very strenuous posture for the cervical spine and upper back region, which can eventually become painful, even in younger individuals.
A study has shown that prolonged, frequent use without sufficient recovery can cause cervical pain in children.
Established poor postural habits
If no correction is made, a child or adolescent may tend to adopt a poor postural habit when using screens, namely, head forward, rounded shoulders, and hunched back. In the long run, they may even maintain this slumped posture and adopt a scoliotic attitude.
Loss of cervical mobility
The pain and stiffness caused by Tech Neck can reduce cervical mobility. This loss of mobility is evident when the child turns their entire body rather than just their head, and their neck movements are less extensive.
Neuralgia and fine motor skill disorders
Cervical neuralgia results in tingling, or even pain, related to nerve compression in the neck.
Faster fatigue in a seated position
Static sitting and Tech Neck increase physical and mental fatigue. Immobility reduces body oxygenation, slows blood circulation, and impacts cognitive functions.
Impact on concentration
Lack of movement affects concentration. Insufficient oxygenation of the brain, in a way, puts it on standby. Moreover, the tension caused by a fixed position can also mobilize all of the child's cognitive resources.
What are the causes of Tech Neck in children and teenagers?
Prolonged smartphone use
Smartphone use is the main cause of Tech Neck. Not only is the phone used at arm's length, in a position that encourages tilting the head, but its usage duration among adolescents is very significant.
Video games
Portable consoles, phone games, or tablet games are conducive to Tech Neck. Without realizing it, children sometimes play for hours in an inappropriate posture, with their necks flexed, even overlooking their discomfort.
Educational tablets and e-readers
Despite the positive effects of educational tablets and e-readers on learning, using them flat requires tilting the head. If possible, place the tablet on an inclined support to avoid Tech Neck.
The couch and TV combo
Although the TV is often positioned at eye level and therefore does not cause Tech Neck, prolonged slouching on the sofa promotes poor posture.
School work on screens
Even for learning, screens are now part of everyday life. It is therefore better to adopt a good posture in front of the computer to avoid neck pain from screens.
Lack of daily movement and active breaks
The increased sedentary lifestyle of young people is a major problem. Between meals, school days and screen time, children of primary school age spend an average of 55% of their waking hours sitting, and up to 75% for middle schoolers.
Spending long hours in front of a screen, in a fixed sitting position, increases visual and postural fatigue. Active breaks are therefore highly recommended. They interrupt prolonged sitting by incorporating movement to release muscle and joint tension.
Ergonomic problems: an aggravating factor
Ergonomics are not always a priority when our children watch their tablet or smartphone, slumped on a sofa or office chair.
However, simple principles can improve posture and avoid constraining stresses on the cervical spine, such as:
- Adopting a seat that accompanies movements rather than fixing the position
- Positioning the screen at eye level so as not to have to lower the head.
What solutions to relieve and prevent Text Neck at home?
1. Limit prolonged static times and alternate sitting and standing positions
Take advantage of children's natural need to move to regularly suggest they change position. To relieve stiffness and tension caused by static sitting, advise your child to stand up, walk, or continue their activity on the floor or standing.
2. Encourage active breaks and simple stretches
The frequency of sedentary moments, but also the duration of sitting in a bad posture, can cause neck pain related to screens. Tiding up their room, going to the toilet, getting a glass of water are all opportunities for your child to take a break away from screens.
Stretches to relieve Tech Neck are also recommended, such as lateral neck tilt or shoulder rolls…
3. Avoid prolonged head-down smartphone use
Whenever possible, encourage your child to raise their smartphone screen to eye level. This avoids the Text Neck position and the resulting tension.
4. Adjust screen height (stands and desks)
Arrange your child's room and environment so that screens are at eye level. This will prevent them from lowering their head to view their tablet or smartphone. Slanted desks and stands are very useful for keeping the head straight in front of screens.
5. Adopt dynamic seating on a ball for homework or screen time
The problem with Tech Neck posture is that the head is positioned too far forward. To maintain cervical alignment with the spine, invite your child to adopt a dynamic sitting position on a ball chair. This way, during screen time or homework, your child can continue to move while sitting on a Bloon Kids office ball.
Thanks to the constant micro-movements needed to adjust their position and maintain balance, your child naturally straightens their back and corrects their posture. Deep muscles are engaged, which strengthens the abdominal belt and back muscles to promote better posture.
6. Limit screen time
In the digital age, it's important to be imaginative about occupying yourself at home outside of screens: dedicating time to free play, spending family time playing, cooking, telling stories, playing sports... Doing screen-free activities allows for more movement in daily life and meets children's essential need to move.
Simple exercises to correct your child's posture in front of screens
Suggest that your child take short movement breaks to relieve Tech Neck tension. Here are some examples of simple exercises to relieve Text Neck.
Chin tuck
The exercise consists of gently tucking the chin in for a few seconds to align the cervical spine with the spinal column, as if forming a double chin, but without lowering the head.
Neck stretch
The neck is particularly strained when viewing screens. To relieve Tech Neck symptoms, encourage your child to turn their head to the right, then to the left. Repeat several times.
Thoracic opening
Tech Neck causes a whole mechanism of tension and stiffness in the upper back. In a hunched position, the rib cage closes in on itself.
For a few minutes, suggest stretches to your child that aim to open the chest. Standing, with hands behind their back, the child opens their chest while keeping their shoulders down and without arching their back.
Shoulder mobilization
To relieve tension in the trapezius muscles, it is recommended to perform shoulder rotations, in one direction, then in the other. These movements show their effects instantly.
Standing vs. sitting exercises
Children spend a lot of time sitting. To limit this sedentary lifestyle, suggest, whenever possible, that your child stand up to do homework, watch TV, make phone calls, etc.
Conclusion: Tech Neck in children: should we worry?
Poor postural habits, such as Tech Neck, can gradually creep into your child's daily life. In the long term, they cause cervical pain and musculoskeletal disorders.
To preserve the health of growing young people, it is essential to establish a routine that avoids prolonged periods of immobility. Limit screen time and encourage use that incorporates more movement, particularly through dynamic seating on a ball chair, changes in position, and active breaks.
FAQ - Parents' questions about children's screen-related neck pain
Can Tech Neck appear in a child?
Yes, a child who intensively uses screens, especially smartphones or tablets, can adopt a head-forward posture such as Tech Neck.
At what age does screen-related neck pain appear?
Neck pain can appear in childhood with prolonged screen use and poor posture.
Is Text Neck reversible?
Yes, stretches, active breaks, and sufficient recovery time can relieve the tension and pain caused by Text Neck. However, as a preventive measure, adopting dynamic seating can help correct posture.
How much screen time is risky for posture?
It's difficult to establish a screen time threshold not to exceed to avoid Tech Neck. The rule that can be applied is mainly to take regular breaks to avoid tension and relieve the neck from a constraining posture.
What sports help correct posture?
In general, sports are beneficial for the body because they maintain mobility. Nevertheless, sports such as swimming, strength training, dance, gentle gymnastics, yoga, or Pilates are particularly recommended for correcting posture.
How do I know if my child has a posture problem?
Observe if your child maintains a hunched posture outside of their screen time. If, when sitting, their head projects forward, it is certainly because their cervical spine is not aligned with the column. If, in addition, pain and stiffness limiting the range of their movements appear, medical consultation is strongly advised.
What is the difference between Text Neck and Tech Neck?
Both expressions Text Neck and Tech Neck describe the same postural problem. One is more specific to texting, while the other encompasses the general use of new technologies.
Can poor posture in front of a screen cause scoliosis?
No. Poor posture does not cause scoliosis. However, it can promote a painful scoliotic attitude that requires medical attention.
Can the famous "buffalo hump" appear in young people?
Yes, prolonged and daily hyperflexion posture can lead to an accumulation of fatty tissue in the neck, also known as "buffalo hump."