Spending more than four hours a day looking at your phone increases neck tension and causes frequent discomfort. Recent studies question whether this is a real medical problem.
Every day, millions of people spend hours staring at their phones, almost without realizing it. What seems like a harmless habit to many is, for others, the cause of a growing discomfort: so-called “tech neck,” a condition that raises concerns about the chronic pain and postural problems it could cause.
The numbers are overwhelming. According to recent estimates, the average user spends 4 hours and 37 minutes a day on their phone, which translates to more than a full day a week.
This exposure time has increased by 7.9% since 2013, which means almost half an hour more each day.
The biomechanical impact of looking at your mobile phone
The posture adopted when using a smartphone explains much of the discomfort. According to biomechanical calculations, tilting the head forward about 60 degrees multiplies the weight supported by the neck: from approximately 5 kilos in a neutral position to more than 27 kilos. This additional load generates tension in the cervical spine and the surrounding structures.
It’s no surprise, then, that various surveys report discomfort. Some studies, although without a completely solid methodology, indicate that between 50% and 84% of users experience pain in the neck, shoulders, or upper back. In the case of children, the situation is no different: up to 70% of children who spend between five and eight hours a day in front of a screen report this type of pain.
A new disease or a passing panic?
However, the scientific community is not discussing an official diagnosis. Epidemiologist Jan Hartvigsen, a professor at the University of Southern Denmark, asserts that “tech neck” cannot be considered a recognized disease. “Simply put, I don’t consider it a real illness,” he told Euronews Health.
Hartvigsen explains that existing studies tend to be small, based on questionnaires that lack sufficient rigor, or with cross-sectional designs that make it difficult to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship. For the researcher, this is more of a recurring social alarm. “When the first trains appeared, it was said that traveling at high speed damaged the back. In the 1990s, with the widespread arrival of computers and mice, there was also talk of an epidemic of neck and arm pain. Today, these problems have practically disappeared,” he explained.
Pain exists, but with multiple causes
This doesn’t mean neck pain is imaginary. It’s one of the most common musculoskeletal ailments worldwide, especially among office workers and students. Specialists’ recommendations are clear: take frequent breaks, avoid a sedentary lifestyle, and maintain regular physical activity to reduce tension.
Furthermore, Hartvigsen emphasizes that the origin of these discomforts is multifactorial: stress, sleep quality, and lifestyle habits all play a role, beyond cell phone use. “The neck is a strong structure, shaped by millions of years of evolution. It is not particularly vulnerable. Only traumas such as those from traffic accidents or contact sports can seriously injure it; everyday activities rarely do,” he pointed out.
A systematic review published by Hartvigsen’s team in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which analyzed more than 100 studies, found no evidence that neck pain has increased among young people despite increasing screen exposure.