Regular massage therapy can help keep your body free of pain. Today’s lifestyle is generally a digital one, meaning lots of WiFi, mobile devices and constant neck flexion. This means lots of pressure and tension in the neck and shoulders brought on by work, social media browsing and texting.
What is Text Neck?
Virtually unheard of two years ago, “text neck” is a repetitive strain injury that’s becoming more common as more people hunch over smartphones and tablets. How can using a smartphone or other mobile device cause so much hurt? It’s all in how you look at it. Literally. Looking down, dropping your head forward, changes the natural curvature of your neck. Over time, that misalignment can strain muscles and cause wear and tear on the structures of the neck.
Massage therapy also improves your posture and flexibility, increases range of motion, encourages relaxation and relieves stress. It addresses trigger-points, stiff muscle groups and helps loosen rigid areas lacking in motion, flexibility and elasticity.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms like arm and hand pain, pins and needles, headache and shoulder blade pain often are related to the neck. A qualified massage therapist should be able to assess and find the reason for your symptoms. A programme of care will be devised that should not only relieve you but address the underlying problem. Sometimes we combine chiropractic care and massage therapy together.
I’s becoming common to see people of all ages with neck pain and stiffness. Who doesn’t sit on their couch at night browsing the internet and looking down? With more mobile phones than there people!
What Can You Do?
- Remember to stretch your neck periodically in various directions
- Take frequent breaks from using your smartphone
- Try not to use your smartphone so much
- Lift your head UP to prevent neck pain and back injury when playing space invaders. I know you are
- Look down with your eyes, not your neck
- Hold your phone higher in front of you rather than at your stomach or lower chest