Chiropractors Say These 4 “Tech Neck” Stretches Give You Instant Relief

Thanks to the hours we spend scrolling, typing, and Zooming, “tech neck” is one of the most common posture problems in America. Also known as forward head posture, tech neck happens when you lean your head forward and down—often for hours—while using screens. Over time, this subtle shift places up to 60 pounds of pressure on your neck and upper spine, leading to tension, stiffness, and even chronic pain.

But you can fight back. According to physical therapists and spine specialists, just a few minutes of targeted stretching each day can start to undo the damage and restore healthy alignment. Here are four of the best expert-backed moves to try.

RELATED: Chiropractor Says These 5 Stretches Can Instantly Relieve Your Back Pain

This simple stretch is one of the most popular and effective for reversing tech neck, although it may not look so cute in action.

Still, it helps strengthen the deep neck flexors and gently pulls your head back into alignment, according to Dr. Dimitrios Lambrou at Northeast Spins & Sports Medicine.

How to do it: 

-Sit or stand tall with your shoulders relaxed.

-Pull your chin straight back (not down) as if you’re trying to make a double chin.

-Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, and repeat 10 to 15 times.

Tight trapezius muscles can contribute to neck tension and rounded shoulders. This simple stretch relieves upper back stress and promotes mobility, according to the pros at Kessler Rehabilitation Center.

How to do it:

-Sit or stand tall. Tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder.

-Use your right hand to gently pull your head deeper into the stretch, making sure to keep the opposite shoulder relaxed.

-Hold for 20 to 30 second, and repeat on both sides.

RELATED: 10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Posture No Matter Your Age

According to REACH Rehab + Chiropractic Performance Center, this stretch helps counteract the hunched-forward position so many of us default to when looking at screens or working at a desk all day.

In a YouTube video, they demonstrate how to practice this stretch when seated in a chair, which opens up the upper spine and is especially helpful after long periods of sitting or slouching. But, you can also do this on the floor using a foam roller.

How to do it:

-Sit on a sturdy chair with a firm back or lay down with your shoulder blades resting on a foam roller.

-Place your hands behind your head and lean back over the top of the chair or foam roller.

-Let your head and chest arch backward gently as your elbows appear to “scrape the ceiling.”

-Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat 2 to 3 times.

This movement, commonly known in the fitness world as the Superman stretch, is used in physical therapy to strengthen the lower trapezius muscle between your shoulder blades, writes the Kessler Rehabilitation Center. This can help reset your posture and bring your chin in alignment with the rest of your spine.

How to do them:

-Lie face-down on the floor or a yoga mat.

-Pull your shoulder blades down and back, then lift your chin, chest, and legs slightly off the ground as you extend your arms out in front of you like you’re flying through the air.

-Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then release everything back toward the floor. Repeat 10 times.