Is your laptop a pain in the neck? We’re not talking about things like a battery that no longer lasts for an hour. Technical issues aside, your laptop may literally be a pain in your neck.

At Foster Chiropractic Sports and Wellness Clinic, we’ve seen a surge in cases of neck and upper back pain and strain over the past few months. When asked what might be different in their lifestyle and causing the pain, we get a similar answer from many clients -- more time at home on the laptop.

“In working to curb the spread of COVID-19, work and school are now in the home let people,” says Scott Foster. “There are many benefits to that, above and beyond staying away from possibly contagious contacts. But one drawback has been the neck strain and pain that comes from many hours spent hunched over a laptop.”

Unlike the desktop computer, laptops were designed for portability and short-term use. In our current environment people are using these devices in a way they’re not designed for -- to study, work or attend virtual meetings for hours at a time. There are two primary reasons why laptops lead to neck pain:

The keyboard and monitor are attached. In an ergonomically sound work environment, the elbows, knees and hips would all be at 90-degree angles, and the eyes would be looking straight ahead at the top one-third of the screen. This is accomplished by putting the monitor up at a higher level than the keyboard, something that can’t be done with a typical laptop. Instead, our body is working hunched over, with a curved spine.

The portability drawback. While being able to take your computer with you has many benefits, it also finds us working at the laptop on our bed, on the couch, or at the kitchen counter. None of those places is ideal, as we sink down into soft cushions and disregard proper posture for hours of computer work.

Sitting on the couch or in the bed hunched over a computer stresses your anatomy over time, leading to muscle fatigue, neck pain and headaches. You may notice anything from an achy neck to throbbing pain or tingling in your fingers. 

Tips to Ease the Neck Pain

1. Separate your keyboard from the monitor. Consider using an external keyboard so that the monitor can be placed a few feet above where you’re typing. You can sit it up on a couple of reams of paper or get a laptop stand.

2. Take a break every 20 minutes. Shrug your shoulders up and down and roll your neck from side to side to ease the muscle strain.

3. Pay attention to your posture. Try to sit at a desk when possible, rather than slouching in a recliner or on the couch.

4. Stay hydrated. Drinking water will not only help you remember to take those breaks (when you have to run to the bathroom) but it also keeps the discs in your spine lubricated to lessen stress and pain.

5. Schedule a chiropractic adjustment. The neck is made up of seven vertebrate, which support the full weight of the head. This is a lot of work for a small set of bones. Help keep them in top shape with an adjustment which can help improve mobility, restore range of motion and reduce pain and stiffness.