Réhabital
Text Neck: Screen-Related Neck Pain
Six to eight hours a day with your head tilted toward a screen, and the neck eventually protests. Text neck is not a disease but a very common postural overload syndrome — and a highly reversible one with the right plan.
Book an AppointmentUnderstanding This Condition
The head weighs about five kilos in neutral. Every degree of forward tilt lengthens the lever arm and increases load on the posterior neck muscles: at 45 degrees the strain is equivalent to over twenty kilos. The issue is not posture itself but sustained posture without variation. Cervical extensors and upper trapezius work in prolonged static contraction, deep neck flexors weaken, and the upper thoracic spine loses extension. The result is dull pain between the shoulder blades, neck tension and often cervicogenic headaches.
Common Symptoms
Common Causes
Prolonged static positioning
Continuously contracted muscle becomes ischaemic and painful regardless of "good" posture.
Poorly set up workstation
A low screen, an unsupported laptop or an ill-fitting chair force continuous neck flexion.
Weak deep neck flexors
These stabilise the cervical spine; when weak, superficial muscles compensate.
Thoracic stiffness
A rigid upper back forces the neck to compensate to lift the gaze.
Our Treatment Approach
Osteopathy releases the cervicothoracic junction, first ribs and cervical fascia, quickly restoring range. Physiotherapy trains deep neck flexors, scapular stabilisers and thoracic extension mobility. Massage therapy reduces tension in upper trapezius, levator scapulae and suboccipitals, which often drive headaches. We review your workstation together: screen height, laptop stand, armrests and above all the frequency of micro-breaks, which matters more than perfect posture.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
A 60 minute initial assessment with postural examination and deep flexor endurance testing. Many patients feel relief after the first session, with lasting improvement over four to six weeks of exercise.
At-Home Self-Care Tips
- Set the top of the screen at eye level.
- Take a 30 second micro-break every 30 minutes.
- Hold the phone at face height rather than in your lap.
- Do daily thoracic extensions over a foam roller.
- Strengthen deep neck flexors (chin tucks) twice daily.
Prognosis & Recovery Timeline
Excellent. This is functional overload, not structural damage: pain drops quickly once load is better distributed and strength is restored.
When to See Us at Réhabital
Come in if pain becomes daily or triggers headaches. Arm weakness, loss of dexterity or neurological symptoms need fuller assessment.
Why Réhabital Clinic
We go beyond 'good posture': we build mobility, strength and load variation — the three factors that actually resolve screen-related pain.
Recommended Services for This Condition
Our Core Treatments in Côte Saint-Luc
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Why Choose Réhabital?
Frequently Asked Questions
Address
D4-5800 Cavendish Blvd
Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 2T5
Phone
(438) 842-3550Hours
Mon–Fri: 10AM–8PM
Sun: 10AM–4PM
Relieve Your Pain Today
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