If your teenager complains of a stiff neck, sore shoulders or headaches after school, you’re not alone. Between phones, gaming, laptops and homework, many teenagers spend most of their waking day looking down.
What’s going on
Your head weighs about as much as a bowling ball. When it’s balanced over your shoulders, the neck muscles barely have to work. As the head tips forward to look at a phone, those muscles have to work harder to hold it up. Do that for a few minutes and it doesn’t matter. Do it for hours, day after day, and the muscles and joints get tired, tight and sore.
It’s worth being clear: there’s no single “perfect posture”, and looking down isn’t damaging the spine. The problem is staying still in any position for a long time. The best posture is your next one.
Common symptoms
- Aching or stiffness in the neck and between the shoulder blades
- Tight, sore shoulders
- Headaches that start at the back of the head or the neck and spread forward
- Tingling in the hands, sometimes, from long periods leaning on the elbows or with the wrists bent
What actually helps
- Move often. A short break every 30 to 45 minutes: stand up, roll the shoulders, look up and around. Set a timer if needed.
- Bring the screen up. Hold the phone higher, put the laptop on a stand or a pile of books, and use a separate keyboard for long homework sessions.
- Set up the desk. Feet on the floor, screen at roughly eye level, elbows near the body.
- Be active. Teenagers who do some sport or exercise most days have fewer of these problems. Strong upper back and shoulder muscles cope better with long days.
- Sleep and screens. Screens late at night cut into sleep, and tired muscles hurt more. Phones out of the bedroom at night is unpopular but works.
- Water and food. Headaches are more likely on a skipped lunch and an empty water bottle.
When a chiropractor can help
If the aches persist despite these changes, an assessment can work out which joints and muscles are involved. Treatment is gentle hands-on work for stiff joints and tight muscles, combined with a few strengthening exercises and practical changes to their setup. The goal is to teach your teen how to look after their own neck.
See a doctor first if
- The headache is sudden and severe, or “the worst ever”
- Headaches are getting more frequent or severe, or wake them from sleep
- There’s fever, a stiff neck and a rash, vomiting, confusion, or changes in vision
- Neck pain follows a fall, a sports collision or an accident
- There’s weakness, numbness or clumsiness in the arms or legs
In an emergency, call 10177 or 112 from a cellphone.
Read next: neck pain and headaches or back pain in children.
Questions parents and patients ask
Is "text neck" real?
Looking down at a phone does increase the load on the neck, and long periods in any one position can cause aching and stiffness. But posture alone isn't dangerous, and there's no single "correct" posture. The real problem is staying in one position for hours without moving.
Can screen time cause headaches in teenagers?
It can contribute. Tension in the neck and shoulder muscles, eye strain, poor sleep, dehydration and skipped meals all play a part. Headaches that are severe, frequent, getting worse, or come with other symptoms should be checked by a doctor.
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. If you're worried about yourself or your child, get checked by a health professional. In an emergency, call 10177 or 112 from a cellphone.