The Cure for Blackberry Thumb and Other Tech Aches

Laptop back

Looking down toward a laptop screen places your head in a forward position, putting pressure on the upper cervical spine (where the neck hooks into the skull) and lower cervical spine (where the shoulders meet the neck). You’ll feel tension and pain in the upper back, neck, and shoulders.

Rx: Every 20 minutes, get up and move around. When seated, keep legs uncrossed with some weight on your feet (as if they form a tripod with the chair).  Crossing your legs creates an unbalanced, narrow base of support, requiring the torso to work harder to stay balanced.

Next: Shoulder-phone crunch