📱 Text Neck: How Your Phone Is Rewiring Your Posture

We check our phones hundreds of times a day - but few realise the long-term effect that can have on our neck and spine. “Text neck” isn’t a myth. It’s a modern postural condition that’s reshaping how our upper body functions, and it’s becoming one of the most common causes of neck, shoulder and upper-back pain across all ages.

🧠 What Actually Happens When You Look Down

When you tilt your head forward 60°, your neck supports roughly 60lb of force - the equivalent of carrying a small child on your shoulders all day.

Over time, that sustained load can:

• Flatten the natural curve of your cervical spine

• Compress the discs and joints

• Over-activate postural muscles, leading to tension headaches and shoulder pain

• Trigger nerve irritation, arm tingling, or jaw tightness

As the head tilts forward, the load on the cervical spine rises dramatically - from around 12lb in neutral posture to over 60lb at 60°. This forward tilt, known as ‘text neck,’ is one of the most common modern causes of neck and shoulder pain.

🩺 Expert Insight: Fit2Go’s Perspective

Brodie Howatson, Consultant Physiotherapist & Co-Founder, explains:

“The neck and upper back aren’t designed to hold that sustained forward load. We’re seeing more young adults with spinal mechanics that used to only appear in older age groups. The key isn’t just stretching - it’s re-training the deep stabilising muscles that keep the head aligned over the shoulders.”

James Tomlinson, Consultant Physiotherapist &Co-Founder, adds:

“Prolonged flexed posture doesn’t just affect the neck. It has a ripple effect through the shoulder blades, breathing patterns and even lower-back tension. We often pick this up through our musculoskeletal assessment and full-body analysis - seeing how postural imbalance in one area shifts load elsewhere.”

Scott Poundall, Osteopath at Fit2Go, notes:

“The body compensates for what it does most often. Gentle manipulation and soft-tissue work can help restore mobility, but the long-term fix always comes from movement awareness - how you sit, stand and use your phone every day.”

💪 How Fit2Go Can Help

At Fit2Go, we see text neck regularly - but no two cases are the same. Our team combines physiotherapists and osteopaths with decades of experience in spinal health, sports medicine, and rehabilitation to find the real cause behind your symptoms - not just the sore spot. The aetiology of one condition can differ significantly across patients - which is why it's important to ensure you're leaning on specialists with appropriate know-how:

James Tomlinson, our Co-Founder and Consultant Physiotherapist, is highly skilled in musculoskeletal assessment and differential diagnosis. He’s trusted by consultants across the East Midlands for his ability to identify complex postural and movement problems that often go unnoticed elsewhere.

Brodie Howatson, also our Co-Founder and Consultant Physiotherapist is a spinal specialist, leading our work on spinal mechanics and vestibular rehabilitation. Recognised by his peers as an industry expert, his expertise helps patients with neck, balance and posture issues rebuild strength and control through evidence-based (full-body) treatment and rehabilitation.

As well as our physiotherapists, we also house specialists with alternative but complementary expertise, ensuring every patient benefits from a truly multidisciplinary approach to care.

Scott Poundall, our Osteopath and former Lead Therapist for the Nottingham Panthers, brings elite-sport experience to every session. He’s widely known for his use of advanced manual and soft-tissue techniques to relieve tension, improve mobility, and restore natural spinal alignment - and has received unanimous positive feedback from both athletes and everyday patients for his results-driven, hands-on approach.

🧠 Our Approach

We combine clinical expertise with powerful technology to get to the root of neck and posture issues. Using industry-leading apparatus such as VALD HumanTrak motion analysis, we measure imbalances and postural control in real time. Our team can integrate this with diagnostic ultrasound, shockwave therapy, Tecar therapy, and targeted manual or acupuncture treatments to deliver precise care that is personalised to your specific needs.

When needed, we can also arrange MRI scans and collaborate directly with local private hospitals such as The Spire Nottingham and The Park Hospital - giving patients fast access to neurologists and orthopaedic consultants if further input is required.

🔄 Fit2Go Tip

Try this simple check: sit tall and gently tuck your chin so your ears align over your shoulders. Hold for ten seconds, repeat often. Combine that with raising your phone to eye level and taking regular movement breaks - small changes that make a measurable difference.

📍 Ready to Take Control of Your Posture?

If you’re experiencing ongoing neck tension, headaches, or stiffness from phone or laptop use, book a postural and spinal assessment at Fit2Go. Our multidisciplinary team can guide you from diagnosis through to full recovery.

👉 Book your postural and spinal assessment at www.fit2goclinic.co.uk