Neck pain from screens: a physiotherapist's guide
If you spend more than four hours a day on a screen, your neck is probably working harder than it should. Here is why and what to do about it.
Screen-related neck pain has become one of the most common complaints physiotherapists see. Whether you are at a desk in a Bengaluru tech office, doing video calls from home in Mumbai, or scrolling on your phone during a long metro or train commute, the pattern is the same. Your head drifts forward, your upper back rounds, and your neck muscles work overtime to hold everything up. Over hours and weeks, this adds up to real pain.
What is happening in your neck
For every centimetre your head moves forward from its balanced position above your shoulders, the load on your neck roughly doubles. A head that is 5 cm forward of neutral feels like around 18 to 20 kg instead of the usual 5 to 6 kg. Your neck muscles, especially the upper trapezius and levator scapulae, work continuously to hold this position. Over hours, they fatigue and become sore. Over weeks, the surrounding joints and discs come under increased stress. What starts as muscle tiredness can progress to headaches, shoulder aching, and eventually disc-related symptoms if the pattern is not corrected.
Three exercises to do right now
Chin tuck
Objective: Restores neutral head position and strengthens the deep neck flexors.
- 1Sit or stand with your spine tall.
- 2Gently draw your chin straight back, as if making a double chin.
- 3You should feel a stretch at the base of your skull, not pain.
- 4Hold for 3 seconds, then relax.
- 5Do not tilt your chin down. The movement is horizontal, not downward.
Neck rotation stretch
Objective: Releases tension in the neck rotators and upper trapezius.
- 1Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed.
- 2Slowly turn your head to the right as far as is comfortable.
- 3Hold for 15 to 20 seconds.
- 4Return to centre, then repeat to the left.
- 5Breathe slowly throughout.
Doorway pec stretch
Objective: Opens the chest and counteracts the rounded-forward shoulder posture that accompanies forward head position.
- 1Stand in a doorway and place your forearms on the door frame at 90 degrees.
- 2Step one foot forward gently.
- 3Lean your body through the doorway until you feel a gentle stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.
- 4Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Workspace tips for Indian offices and home setups
- Screen height: The top third of your screen should be at eye level. Most people work on laptops placed flat on a desk, which pulls the head down. A laptop stand and external keyboard make a significant difference.
- Phone posture: Hold your phone higher rather than looking down. The same principle applies to reading on a tablet during long train or metro commutes.
- Chair support: Your lower back should touch the backrest. Many Indian office chairs are too wide or too deep. Roll a small towel and place it in the curve of your lower back if the chair does not support it naturally.
- Movement breaks: Get up and walk briefly every 30 to 45 minutes. Set a timer if you need reminding. Even 2 minutes of movement is enough to reset muscle tension and restore blood flow to the neck muscles.
Neck pain from screens rarely goes away on its own. If yours has lasted more than two weeks, book a physiotherapy assessment on BookPhysio.in.