The burning query, “how laptop causes text neck in California” is largely unanswered, until now!
It is time for health conscious Californians to realize that it is indeed their beloved laptop that is ruining their cervical health. With your head tilted all day long in a forward sliding motion is sure to capture your attention.
Now, I know that laptops are the # 1 way to add those missing dollars into your bank account. Nonetheless, the over-eagerness of our Silicon Valley intellectuals is right now the main cause behind their forward neck posture.
You do not believe me.
Well, read on and I shall prove ME right (Not YOU wrong 🙂
Contents of “How Laptop Causes Text Neck in California” Article:
1) Why is California Lifestyle Linked with Excessive Laptop Usage?
2) Why is Gravity so Strong while Using the Laptop?
3) The Habit Formation Stage
4) Fellow Californians It’s Not just Your Neck that Suffers
5) Probability of Muscle Imbalance is Very High
6) Link between California Work Culture & Text Neck
7) How Should Californians Reduce their Text Neck Posture?
8) How to Exercise Your Neck to Avoid Nerd Neck?
9) It’s Time to Get Your Good Neck Posture Back Again
Why is California Lifestyle Linked with Excessive Laptop Usage?
Ah, the California lifestyle—sun, surf, and… excessive laptop usage? That’s right!
The Golden State might be famous for its beaches and Hollywood glitz, but it’s also home to tech hubs like Silicon Valley and a booming remote work culture.
Paint this picture for understanding this in a better way
You are lounging on the Long Island beach, sipping a matcha latte, with your laptop perched precariously on your knees.
Sounds just about perfect, right?
Except for the part where your neck and back are screaming in protest.
Work & Play do Not Mix Well:
Californians have mastered the art of blending work and play, but this balance often tips into the realm of marathon laptop sessions.
Whether you’re a startup guru in Moraga or a creative freelancer in Los Angeles, the laptop is your trusty sidekick.
But beware! This digital devotion comes with a price—forward head posture and tech neck.
With picturesque backdrops like Yosemite and Big Sur calling, it’s easy to see why folks might be tempted to take their work everywhere.
However, this mobile work culture means hunching over laptops in cafés, parks, and even hiking trails.
So, while the California lifestyle promotes flexibility and innovation, it also encourages habits that can wreak havoc on your posture.
As researchers from BestForwardHeadPostureFix have wisely said, “Embrace the Cali vibe but remember to give your neck a break!”
Why is Gravity so Strong while Using the Laptop?
You cannot even imagine what your head feels like when it needs to be stretched forward? When the head is aligned to the cervical neck, it feels like you are carrying a large pumpkin that weighs 12 pounds.
Anyhow, the feeling is not the best when your neck is stretched forwards in order to take a closer look at the computer screen. The weight of 12 pounds NOW feels like 40 pounds.
Do you know why?
Well, the muscles of the neck have to work really hard to balance the 12 pound head and hold it in place when it is sliding 2 inches or even more, ahead of its designated position.
The weight literally triples – 12 pounds now feels like 40 pounds.
Forward head posture also compresses your cervical nerves.
So, for Silicon Valley aspirants, their laptop is literally placing the entire gravitational force on their neck.
The Habit Formation Stage
When you are running or hiking in California, your mind is free of any stressful thoughts. This in turn implies that you hold your head high and enjoy the trail.
Nonetheless, the moment you are stationed in front of your laptop, your body dynamics change almost instantly. Your head shifts forwards, shoulders slouch and your eyes pop out.
All this is done in order for you to stay focused on the 10 to 14 inch laptop screen for hours at length.
Nonetheless, when the “first day of your neck slide” became a “daily affair”, is a mystery indeed.
As you work day in and day out focusing on your laptop screen, some muscles in your neck stretch while others contract. All this is done so as to hold your sliding head in place.
Even before you know it (it usually takes a few months to a few years for this to happen), you have permanently changed the natural shape of your neck and upper back muscles.
This is how you develop a forward head posture.
Fellow Californians It’s Just Not Your Neck that Suffers
If you thought that your vulture neck posture was just affecting your cervical neck then, you are wrong. While I do agree that the ill effect of you laptop addiction initiates in the neck muscles, it tends to carry its snowball effect to other parts of your body.
So, after your muscles weaken, the muscles of your throat get weaker as well. The shoulder muscles are the next to be hit. Your shoulders tend to get rounded and they slide forward.
Then, your upper back starts to feel rather painful as the muscles of your upper back become stiffer. If your posture is unchecked, the pain and discomfort travels all the way down to your lower back area.
So, my friend in California, your laptop is not only ruining your neck but also your shoulder, the upper back as well as your lower back. Basically, the muscles in your spinal column are being weakened (stretched or compressed) owing to your bad neck posture.
Probability of Muscle Imbalance is Very High
When you develop a nerd neck posture, your flexor as well as extensors are adversely affected. As you are working on your laptop, your head tends to shift forward. This places stress on your flexor muscles.
On the other hand, the extensor muscles encompassing your upper back and neck are stretched beyond their normal capacity. This is simply owing to the fact that they are trying really hard to hold your 12 pound head in place.
So, this tug of war between the extensor and flexor muscle, leads to muscle imbalance in your body. Aches, pains and muscle stiffness then becomes a part and parcel of your daily life.
Link between California Work Culture & Text Neck
The work culture in the Silicon Valley is not the most pleasant. It is harsh indeed and you really need to put your head forward in order to survive the storm.
No wonder, you get a text neck within the first few years into the job.
So, even while you are walking out of the office with your laptop sealed and packed neatly in a bag, your head is still sliding forward.
This ‘text neck’ is symbolic to utter discomfort that your neck and upper back muscles are experiencing after a day of hard labor.
How Should Californians Reduce their Text Neck Posture?
Well, the tips I am about to discuss may seem simple indeed but in reality, they are rather “tough to absorb” and include in your “techy” lifestyle.
Nonetheless, here is what you can do to combat your nerd neck posture:
Importance of Eye Level:
First and foremost, you should try and change your “eye to laptop screen” co-ordination. If you do not have a dedicated workstation on which to rest your laptop onto then, do buy an adjustable stand.
If you do not have access to a height adjustable stand then, do try and place a stack of books right underneath the laptop. This would raise its height and allow you to look into the screen without you having to bend your neck.
Opt for an External Keyboard or a Standalone Screen:
Another method is to opt for a stand-alone computer screen. This can be placed at a position that meets your eye-level. If you cannot get hold of a screen then, do opt for an external keyboard or a mouse.
You can easily place the keyboard or mouse at a position that ensures optimal spinal posture. Not only would an external mouse or keyboard help you maintain optimal spinal posture, it shall also give rest to your wrist and fingers.
Watch Your Posture:
You need to make a conscious effort to maintain optimal back and neck posture. So, avoid bending or sliding your head forward especially when you are working on the laptop.
You can also try and maintain a natural spine when you indulge in any other activity. It could be fetching groceries, taking to your friend, taking a walk, eating food etc.
Make a conscious effort to retract your shoulders and push your chest out. It is good to make an extra effort to align your spine rather than letting it slump.
Spend Some Money:
In California, the pay is really good. So, you have ample funds to spend on things that are necessary. While cars, houses, good food, exotic holidays and even jets (for some) may be a good spend for their money earned, it is not enough for your health.
To avoid forward head posture, you need to invest in good furniture. This is specific to your work needs. So, buy a good table. Along with that, get hold of a computer chair.
Doing so shall ensure that your cervical spine is not punished each time you sit down to work on your laptop.
Enough of the Hourly Trip:
I agree that you need to work really hard in order to complete your assignments that pay so well. For that you need to stay glued to your computer screen for hours at length.
Nonetheless, it is quite possible that you can do away with the regular “neck and head” grind and still complete your assignments with flying colors.
So, how would you do so?
Well, simply get up from your compute chair every 20 minutes to take a 2 minute break. Take a casual stroll before getting back to work. This 2 minute break shall allow your neck muscles to re-adjust themselves.
You neck shall therefore remain properly aligned, despite you working for hours in front of your laptop.
Be Physically Active:
California is a heaven for the fitness enthusiasts. So, why should you fall behind in the fitness race?
Indulge in stretching exercises and ensure that you pay attention towards working the neck and shoulder muscles.
Neck rotation, shoulder stretches, hip rotation, light weight training, swimming, jogging and brisk walks are all a part and parcel of maintaining a healthy cervical spine.
How to Exercise Your Neck to Avoid Nerd Neck?
The exercises that I am advising are not very different from the ones advertised by others. At the same time, you can easily hope to perform these at home and even at the office.
So, here we go Californians:
Exercise # 1:
@ Simply stand straight with your back towards the wall.
@ Ensure that your shoulder, hips and heels touch the wall.
@ Retract your shoulder blades to their maximum capacity.
@ Pull your chin up and look straight at eye level.
@ Maintaining the same position, simply tuck your chin towards your chest. Pause for a second at the lowest point. Then, raise your chin back to the starting position.
Note: You need to perform 3 sets of this exercise. Each set consists of 12 repetitions. This exercise would help strengthen the muscles that encompass your neck area.
Exercise # 2:
@ Stand straight but not necessarily against a wall.
@ With your feet placed shoulder width apart, lift a 1 pound weight plate.
@ Wrap the plate in a soft towel.
@ Bend your neck sideways and place the plate on the other side of the face. With your hands supporting the plate, lift your neck back to the starting position.
@ Repeat this a couple of times. Be gentle while weight training your neck in a sideways twist.
Note: You need to perform 3 sets of this exercise. Each set consists of 12 repetitions. This exercise would help strengthen the muscles that encompass your neck area.
Exercise # 3:
@ Stand straight with your feet placed shoulder width apart.
@ Take a weighted plate (preferably 1 pound in weight). Wrap it in a soft towel.
@ Now, gently push your chin towards your chest while standing straight.
@ When the chin has reached its lowest point, using both your hands, place the 1 pound plate at the back of your head.
@ Lift your chin gently back it its starting position while bearing the weight of the plate. This is 1 repetition.
@ Do, 12 to 15 repetitions of this exercise. Do not jerk your neck while performing this exercise:
Note: You need to perform 3 sets of this exercise. Each set consists of 12 repetitions. This exercise would help strengthen the muscles that encompass your neck area.
Please Note:
So, I have just these three neck and head strengthening exercises in my arsenal for my California buddies out there.
If you diligently follow these exercises, your neck muscles shall regain their lost strength and flexibility in no time.
It’s Time to Get Your Good Neck Posture Back Again
Laptop is a part and parcel of a typical California lifestyle. You cannot even think of letting go of your money making machine for even a single day.
Nonetheless, the toll that it is taking on your cervical neck is terrible indeed. Forward neck is a normal phenomenal with people who work in the Silicon Valley. You need to put an end to it.
Your forward neck posture can be fixed by you making simple lifestyle changes. For example, purchasing a laptop char, a suitable table to place your laptop onto etc.
Place a few boxes if you do not have a desk. The idea here is to ensure that your laptop screen is at eye level.
Exercise your body and your neck by including these neck stretching and neck development exercises I’ve mentioned above.
Finally, make an effort to maintain the natural curve of your cervical spine.
Rest assured, within a few months, your bad neck posture would transform into perfect head posture.