You’ve probably heard that a solution to “computer neck” or “phone neck” is to tuck your chin. It’s taught regularly as a back of the neck stretch by physical therapists and chiropractors. However, it often gets so strongly encouraged that some people end up constantly having their chin tucked which causes a huge number of problems.
“Computer neck” or “phone neck” refers to a posture of having your head forward of your torso, instead of balanced on top of it. The stress it puts on your spine causes pain and dysfunction in all kinds of places throughout your body, like in this photo on the left. Chin tucks are supposed to relieve some of that stress by stretching the back of your neck and helping you find a more neutral neck, like in this photo on the right, but they do so in a problematic way.
Try this: Place your fingers on the back of your neck to feel what happens there as you push your chin forward. Feel how the curve of your neck gets exaggerated and your neck muscles tighten under your fingers. Now pull your chin back and feel how the curve of your neck flattens, but notice that the muscle tightness remains.
Pulling your chin back does not create a neutral situation in your neck or the rest of your spine. Instead, it takes you to the opposite extreme of pushing your chin forward by flattening a necessary curve in your spine! Getting stuck here creates just as much pain and dysfunction as getting stuck in “computer neck” or “phone neck”.
So, how to find a neutral neck? Forget about your chin and think about your spine instead.
Find a firm chair to sit in with your feet on the floor. Place one hand on your chest with your thumb and first finger touching each of your collarbones. You can place the other hand on the back of your neck or your lower back to feel what’s happening there if you want.
Push down gently on your chest and feel how your back rounds, your chest sinks and tightens, and your head pushes forward and down. Stay there for a moment and try slowly turning your head and looking up and down. You might find you can look side to side but always while looking at the floor, and looking up is likely very challenging.
Push gently up on your chest and feel how your back and neck flatten and tighten, and your head pulls up and back. Again, stay there for a moment and try slowly turning your head and looking up and down. You might find that looking up is easier, but everything else is probably more limited.
This time, push gently up on your chest and slowly look down at the same time, then reverse it and push gently down on your chest and slowly look up at the same time. Go slowly back and forth a few times, and pause when you’re looking at the horizon. Once more, try slowly turning your head and looking up and down. Your head is probably fairly free to move in most directions here.
This place where your head feels freer and lighter, your chin position isn’t important, your eyes can rest on the horizon, and you have a slight curve in both your neck and lower back is what a neutral neck feels like.