Mobile neck: Exercises and training
Last updated 03/05/2024 by The pain clinics - Interdisciplinary Health
Mobile neck: Exercises and training
A guide with exercises against mobile neck. Here, our clinicians go through recommended training and exercises against neck pain due to mobile phone use.
Both adults and children spend more time on their mobile phones. This static load on the neck can, over time, lead to both stiffness and pain in the neck. When you think that it is all the hours on the mobile that cause this type of neck pain, it is called too mobile neck.
- Static load can lead to mobile neck
When we are on the mobile, this often involves a certain anatomical position, where we bend our necks and look concentrated at the mobile screen in front of us. Because the content we watch can be exciting and interesting, it is easy to forget that we are in an unfavorable position. If we then throw a bunch of daily hours into the calculation, it is easy to understand how this can lead to neck pain.
- A more curved neck leads to increased strain
Our head is quite heavy and weighs a lot. When we sit with a crooked neck, our neck muscles have to work hard to hold our head up. Over a longer period of time, this can lead to overload in the muscles and on the neck joints. The result can be both pain and stiffness in the neck. If this then repeats itself day after day, week after week, one will also be able to experience a gradual deterioration.
"The article has been written and quality checked by publicly authorized health personnel. This includes both physiotherapists and chiropractors at Pain clinics Interdisciplinary Health (see clinic overview here). We always recommend having your pain assessed by knowledgeable healthcare personnel."
Tips: Further down in the guide you will get good advice on recommended exercises and their use foam roll. Links to product recommendations open in a new browser window.
What is mobile neck?
The diagnosis of mobile neck is defined as an overload injury to the neck due to unilateral stress over a long period of time. The condition is caused by the head position being too far forward, at the same time as the neck being bent. Holding this anatomical position puts stress on your neck posture, ligaments, tendons and neck muscles. In addition to that it can also lead to increased pressure on your lower intervertebral discs (the soft, shock-absorbing discs between your vertebrae).
Mobile neck: Common symptoms
Here we take a closer look at some of the most common symptoms associated with mobile neck. These may include:
Local neck pain
Pain in the neck and shoulders
A feeling of stiffness in the neck that limits mobility
Increased occurrence of headaches
Increased incidence of dizziness
In the absence of action and change, the static load will cause the neck muscles to gradually become shorter and more tense. This in turn leads to reduced neck mobility and stiffness, as well as a higher incidence of neck headaches and neck vertigo.
Mobile neck: 4 good exercises
Fortunately, there are a number of good exercises and measures you can take to counteract mobile neck. Well, in addition to reducing screen time and mobile use of course. In this part of the article, we go through four exercises that hit the right neck muscles and joints particularly well.
1. Foam roller: Open up the back of the chest
In the video below shows chiropractor Alexander Andorff how to use a foam roller (also known as foam roller) to counteract the crooked posture in the upper back and neck transition.
Feel free to subscribe for free our youtube channel for more good exercise programs.
Our recommendation: Large foam roller (60 cm long)
A foam roller is a very popular self-help tool that can be used for tight muscles and stiff joints. It is very suitable for use against the slouched back and curved neck posture we often see with mobile necks. Press here to read more about it. All product recommendations open in a new browser window.
2. Training with elastic for shoulder blade and neck transition
Elastic training is very common in rehabilitation training for the neck and shoulders. This is because it is a very injury-preventive and effective form of strength training. In the picture above, you see an exercise that is particularly suitable for mobile neck. You therefore hold the elastic behind your head as instructed - and then pull it apart. The training exercise is a good posture exercise and also counteracts the muscle tension in the neck and shoulder arches.
Our knitting tip: Pilates band (150 cm)
A pilates band, also known as a yoga band, is a type of exercise band that is flat and elastic. Very practical. Having a band available makes strength training very accessible, as there are dozens of exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home. Stretching exercises for the neck and shoulders also stimulate increased circulation and mobility. Read more about the elastic here .
3. Stretching exercise for the neck and upper back
This is a great exercise for those of you who are stiff and stiff in the back and neck. It is a yoga exercise that is well suited for stretching the muscles in the upper back and neck. The exercise counteracts the crooked posture associated with mobile neck - and actively works in the opposite direction. The exercises can be done several times a day.
4. Relaxation techniques and breathing exercises
In a modern and hectic everyday life, it is important to take time to relax. There are many different relaxation techniques, and one of the most important things is to find techniques that you are comfortable with and enjoy doing.
Our tip: Relaxation in neck hammock
Bearing in mind that the subject of this article is mobile necks, our thoughts fall to this neck hammock. In addition to providing adapted stretching of the neck muscles and neck vertebrae, it will also provide the opportunity to simply relax completely and relax. It could be a useful aid for stretching the neck after many hours on the mobile. 10 to 15 minutes daily is often enough. Read more about it here .
Summary: Mobile neck - Exercises and training
One of the most important things about mobile phone addiction is that you actually recognize that there may be too many hours of screen time every day. But then it is also the case that this is how society communicates these days, so it is also difficult to get away. By implementing the four exercises we refer to in this article, you will also be able to counteract many of the ailments associated with mobile neck. We also encourage you to take a daily walk and get the blood circulation going throughout your body. In the case of longer-lasting complaints, it is advisable to get help from a physiotherapist or chiropractor.
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Article: Mobile neck: Exercises and training
Written by: Our publicly authorized chiropractors and physiotherapists at Vondtklinikkene
Fact check: Our articles are always based on serious sources, research studies and research journals - such as PubMed and the Cochrane Library. Please contact us if you spot any errors or have comments.
Photos and credit
- Cover image (woman holding mobile in front of her): iStockphoto (licensed use). Stock photo ID:1322051697 Credit: AndreyPopov
- Illustration (man holding mobile phone): iStockphoto (licensed use). Stock illustration ID: 1387620812 Credit: LadadikArt
- Backbend Stretch: iStockphoto (licensed use). IStock photo ID: 840155354. Credit: fizkes
