Neck Hump from Your Phone? What ‘Tech Neck’ Is and How Massage Can Help

Neck Hump from Your Phone? What ‘Tech Neck’ Is and How Massage Can Help

Many of our clients, especially women, ask us about the “hump” at the base of the neck. Most of them aren’t in pain. They simply don’t like how it looks in photos or in the mirror, and they often feel tightness or discomfort across the top of the shoulders. If that sounds like you, here is what’s going on and what can help.

What is a “neck hump” or “tech neck”?

When the head drifts forward and the shoulders roll in for hours a day (looking down at a phone, working on a laptop, driving), the upper back rounds and the base of the neck becomes more prominent. Over time this can look like a small hump where the neck meets the shoulders. You may also hear it called tech neck, text neck or dowager’s hump. The posture pattern behind it is often called forward head posture.

Why it happens

• Looking down at a phone or tablet for long periods
• Laptops and screens set too low
• Tight chest and front-of-shoulder muscles that pull the shoulders forward
• Weak muscles between the shoulder blades that can’t hold them back
• Stress, which keeps the shoulders up and tense

What it usually feels like

For most people it isn’t painful. The common complaints are the appearance, plus tightness, stiffness and a general discomfort across the upper back, the shoulders and the base of the skull.

How massage can help, and what it can’t do

A registered massage therapist (RMT) can release the muscles that pull you into that rounded position: the chest, the front of the shoulders, the upper traps and the small muscles at the base of the skull. When those muscles relax, it is easier to sit and stand taller, and the tightness and discomfort usually ease.

To be honest about it: massage cannot “melt” a hump or change the shape of your bones. The best results come from combining massage with better daily habits and the simple exercises below, done regularly over several weeks. Many people find their posture looks and feels better, and the hump becomes less noticeable as their posture improves.

Simple exercises to do at home

Move slowly, stay within a comfortable range and stop if anything causes pain.

1. Shoulder blade squeeze (“goal post” squeeze): Raise your arms out to the sides and bend your elbows to 90 degrees, like a goal post. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and down, hold for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times. This is the one we give most clients.
2. Chin tucks: Sitting or standing tall, gently slide your chin straight back (as if making a double chin) without tipping your head down. Hold for 5 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times.
3. Doorway chest stretch: Place your forearms on either side of a doorway with elbows at shoulder height, then step one foot forward until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
4. Wall angels: Stand with your back against a wall, arms in the goal post position against the wall. Slowly slide your arms up and down while keeping your back and arms as close to the wall as is comfortable. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
5. Upper back extension over a chair: Sit in a chair with a backrest that reaches your mid-back. Support your head with your hands and gently lean back over the top of the chair, then return. Repeat 5 to 8 times.

Small habits that make a big difference

• Lift your phone up to eye level instead of looking down at it
• Raise your laptop or monitor so the top of the screen is at eye level
• Take a short posture break every 30 to 60 minutes
• Do the goal post squeeze and chin tucks a few times a day; they take less than a minute

When to see a doctor instead

A hump that appears quickly, keeps growing, or comes with other changes should be checked by your doctor. This includes weight gain in the face or belly, purple stretch marks, high blood pressure, long-term steroid medication use, or (especially for women over 50) a history of bone loss or osteoporosis. These can point to a medical cause that massage won’t fix. Also see your doctor if you have numbness, tingling or weakness in your arms.

Getting help at Live Balanced

Your RMT will look at your posture, ask about your work and phone habits, and focus your session on the chest, shoulders, upper back and neck. We can show you the exercises above so you know you are doing them right. Many clients book a therapeutic massage or deep tissue massage for this. You can also read about massage for neck and shoulder pain.

We are in north-west Edmonton, a short drive from St. Albert, and we direct bill most insurance plans.

Book online or call (587) 414-5777. Open 7 days a week, 9:30 AM to 6 PM.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor about any health concerns.