13 Yoga Poses For Tech Neck
If you don’t know what tech neck is then you’re either super lucky to be able to avoid this horrible condition, or you’re simply unaware of the name, and you actually have it. Whoops, sorry.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but chances are if you work at a laptop for most of your day, then you probably have some version of tech neck. This can also happen if you have poor vision, if you sit a lot, commute for long hours, or if you just need to generally improve your posture.
The good news is that our handy dandy yoga practice can help us treat tech neck, improve our posture, and boost circulation. All of which is super helpful for everyone out there living int he office or on Zoom calls all day.
When you have tech neck you’ll probably feel pain in your upper back, tension in your head and neck, and general soreness in your body. You might also notice that your upper back is rounding, your shoulder mobility is decreasing, and that it’s painful to sit for long periods of time.
Don’t worry, today’s post will share a round-up of 13 yoga poses to add into your routine to help combat all that discomfort and pain, and get you sitting up nice and straight in no time!
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Learn how to do a backbend to combat tech neck.
13 Yoga Poses For Tech Neck
There are many postures in yoga that are beneficial for tech neck. Mostly because the emphasis of ALL yoga poses is to maintain as long of a spine as possible.
While all forms of yoga can certainly help to correct your posture, you’ll notice that backbends will be your ultimate best friend if you’re dealing with tech neck.
Why?
Because backbends work on opening the frontline of the body, while strengthening the backline of the body. Typically when we’re sitting for long periods of time at the computer or commuting to work, we tend to slouch and round in which closes the chest.
To counter the closing of the chest and the rounding of the spine, we want to focus on postures that open the front line of the body, while also lengthening the spine and strengthening the muscles around it to keep you more supported in an upright position.
Try more backbends in my Heart Medicine series.
Learn a backbend yoga pose guide.
What Is Tech Neck?
Tech neck is a slang term that refers to chronic pain in the cervical spine (the upper most part of the spine), the shoulders, head, and neck.
It’s important to note that although tech neck is usually dealing with the upper back, it’s also quite common to feel pain in the mid and (especially!) lower back, as well, due to poor posture.
Tech neck usually doesn’t show up overnight. Honestly, it’s typically a slow burn that all of the sudden expresses itself in a really obvious way. This is why it’s so important to start doing small movements, stretches, and maintenance on the body before it starts hurting.
Get started in your yoga practice to battle tech neck today.
Symptoms Of Tech Neck
- Pain in the upper back.
- Pain in the neck.
- Clenching of the jaw.
- Rounding of the shoulders.
- Closing of the chest.
- Slouched positioning.
- Slumping posture.
- Pain in the low back.
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How Does Yoga Help Tech Neck
- Improves strength.
- Increases flexibility.
- Improves mobility.
- Better posture.
- More engagement.
- Boosts circulation.
- Offers corrective poses.
- Provides counter poses.
- Backbends.
- Check Opening.
- Neck strengthening.
- Shoulder opening.
- Improved mindfulness.
- Increased self awareness.
Kneeling Puppy Pose
Kneeling Puppy Pose is something you can practice right away without a warm up. Feel free to lower your chest onto a yoga block if it’s uncomfortable hanging in space.
Remember, you can always rest your forehead down if the chin is uncomfortable. It also helps to walk the hands out even wider than the shoulders if you’re especially tight in the chest.
You’ll notice that this position is the exact opposite of the rounded position you’re used to sitting in when you work, which might make it intense. Breathe through it.
Standing Puppy Pose
I love Standing Puppy Pose, too, because it also gets the legs more involved. And, let’s be real, tech neck can also affect the lower body, as well.
You can do this pose at work by placing your hands onto the side of your desk or the back of your chair, and then letting your chest sink as low as possible.
Feel free to let the head and neck hang heavily while looking down, or to look up to open the front of the through. Notice the difference in sensations in the chest and shoulders as you play with your gaze.
Thread The Needle
Thread The Needle is something you can start to add into your wake up and wind down routine right away, as there’s no need to warm up for this position.
Start in Table Top, and use an inhale to your right arm high. Pause here and send the breath across the chest first, looking up at your right hand to get into your neck.
With your exhale, find Thread The Needle by lowering your right shoulder down to the mat, and threading the hand underneath the left, resting onto the right side of the face. Make sure to keep your chin slightly tucked so you have a long neck.
Gomukasana Bind
Gomukasana Bind is something that you can do with or without a strap, depending on your shoulder flexibility. I’d suggest a small warm up before jumping right into this bind.
Remember that you can practice this bind in a seated, standing, kneeling, or lunging- which makes it a really versatile position.
Don’t forget to rest your head into the crook of your upper arm, as this will turn up sensation in the shoulders and chest.
Shoulder Floss
Shoulder Flossing is a great way to build flexibility and mobility in the shoulders, and it’s something that is accessible to everyone at any time.
Grab for a strap, or even a towel, long sleeve shirt, or sarong with both hands. If you’re tighter in the shoulders and chest, then walk your hands super far from one another, and if you’re more open then walk them closer together.
Remember, you can always readjust your hands once your start flossing. Meaning that once you’re a little warmer, you can bring your hands closer together.
Chest Expansion Rag Doll
There are few yoga poses I love more than Chest Expansion Rag Doll. Truly, it hits just right every time. And the great news is that there’s no warm up needed!
Feel free to grab for your strap if clasping your hands is too intense. The more space you have on the strap, the more accessible the bind will be.
Don’t forget that you can keep the knees super bent as you fold forward. And do your best to keep the heels of your palms touching if you do have interlaced hands.
Downward Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog is a staple in yoga, isn’t it? While it’s a very standard pose to see in yoga classes, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easy. Like…at all.
Keep in mind that your knees can stay really bent in this position. In fact, I’d prefer you bend your knees a ton in order to tilt your hips further skyward, rather than forcing your heels to the ground with straight legs and rounding your spine.
Try to keep the spine long in this pose by adding a little Cow tilt of the pelvis, spreading your sits bones out and back behind you as you spike the tail high.
Dolphin Pose
Dolphin Pose reminds me of Downward Facing Dog’s more challenging cousin. That being said, if you find Downdog tough, then make sure you warm up before you attempt Dolphin.
For anyone struggling with shoulder stability in this position, remember that you can always interlace your hands together, rather than keeping the forearms parallel.
Don’t forget to press a lot of weight into your forearms and hands in order to activate your shoulders, rather than letting your neck scrunch up and your shoulders to creep up towards your ears.
Fish Pose
Fish Pose is a position that you’ll often find towards the end of yoga class. That’s because you'll want an adequate warm up before attempting this posture. Particularly in the cervical spine, chest, and shoulders.
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of this position, but I do love the supported version with blocks. I find the block under my heart helps to take me deeper into the chest, and the block behind my head helps my neck to feel more supported.
Rabbit Pose
Rabbit Pose is actually a counter pose to backbends, which might make you confused why it’s on this list. But guess what? It’s also a great pose for strengthening and lengthening the neck, which is super important for tech neck.
I’d recommend doing this pose after Fish Pose or Puppy Pose, as it’s a great counter posture to both. Remember to avoid dumping weight into your head, but rather resting the head down lightly.
Camel Pose
Camel Pose is often a posture that you’ll see towards the middle or end of the class, because it does require some warm up.
Remember, you can always modify by keeping the hands on the low back for more support. I especially like to press my fists into my low back, to give a bit more of a release.
If you want to deepen the opening in the throat and cervical spine, then you can reach the gaze back behind you. Otherwise, keep the chin tucked and look straight above you.
Wild Thing
Wild Thing is more of an intermediate level posture that is best practiced after some kind of warm up, particularly in the chest, shoulders and hip flexors.
Don’t forget that you’re in control of how deep you take your Wild Thing. Meaning, if you want to add a big backbend, then you can work on squaring the shoulders and opening the chest skyward.
Whereas, if you want more of a side opening, you can keep the top shoulder more stacked on the bottom shoulder, reaching to the side, instead.
Wheel Pose
Wheel Pose is the most advanced position on this list, which tells you that you definitely need a warm up before you try it on. Please make sure to warm up your thighs, hip flexors, chest, shoulders, and spine before you attempt this posture.
Remember that Wheel Pose is meant to feel good, rather than painful. If you feel crunching or pain your low back or shoulders, that’s s sign that you need a longer warm up, or that you need to modify with Bridge Pose, instead.
Don’t forget to press a ton of weight into your feet and to squeeze your glutes to protect your low back. You can also position your hands slightly out to the side to give you more space across your shoulders and chest.
There you have it my friends, you have a solid list of 13 yoga poses to incorporate into your life in order to battle teck neck.
Let me know which pose is your favorite in the comments below!
xx,
K