Helping Your Children Avoid Tech Neck

By Donna Stark

We all want our children to enjoy their time being kids but that doesn't mean we should ignore the dangers that come from the technology in their hands. Those phones, tablets, and laptops aren't just taking up a huge amount of their time for entertainment purposes, they are also setting them up for some serious pain and injuries down the road. It's important that you know exactly what tech neck is and how you can help your child avoid the damage it can bring.

What Is Tech Neck?

Basically, tech neck is caused by the excess stress and strain placed on the neck when a person looks down at a device for extended periods of time. And how much stress can possibly be created from doing that? Well, for every inch that the head is pushed forward and down, there is a significant increase in pressure, sometimes up to 60 pounds! That's a lot, and it is too much for the neck to handle! So, what can you do? Here are some tips that will help keep it from happening to your children.

• Encourage good posture - Remind your children to sit up straight and to keep their ears above their shoulders. Show them how to hold their devices at eye level if possible, and if they can't do that, to at least look down with only their eyes. You can also set up an ergonomic-friendly gaming station in your home if your children love to play video games.
• Take breaks - Too much of one thing can easily turn into a problem and that couldn't be truer than with the excessive use of handheld technology. Encourage your children to take plenty of breaks from their devices or set up strict guidelines as to when they can be used. This may mean that you will need to find other ways to entertain them, but the pain-free days ahead will make your effort totally worth it!
• Stretch and move - You can help your children avoid those long hours of sitting with their devices by keeping them in motion. Sign them up for a sport, teach them how to effectively stretch their bodies, or schedule more physical activities for the family to become involved with. An early-evening walk, bike ride, or game of tag are perfect kid-friendly solutions!

Let Your Kids Be Kids

It's fine to let your kids be kids, but it's important to keep them as healthy as they can be while doing so, and with the suggestions above, that's an easy goal to achieve. The best part about it, though, is that they will also be protecting their future health in the process!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Citrus Heights, Calif.