Hours spent at the computer, mobile phone, and other devices can end up taking a toll on the neck, shoulders, back, and even the jaw. Sustained posture and lack of movement have a lot to do with those discomforts that appear at the end of the day.
Eye strain is usually the first consequence we associate with excessive screen time. Dry eyes, a feeling of tiredness, blurred vision, or difficulty maintaining concentration are part of a well-known and fairly well-studied picture. There is another, less visible bill that can accumulate during those same hours: the one borne by the musculoskeletal system.
In front of the computer, the body continuously seeks a position that allows it to keep its gaze on the screen. Over time, the head may drift forward, the shoulders may rise or round, and the back may lose its natural position. The problem doesn't lie in occasionally adopting a particular posture, but in staying in it for a long time and, above all, in doing so with very little variation.
Gaby Díaz, osteopath and partner of the National Association of Professionals and Self-Employed Workers in Natural Therapies (Cofenat), draws attention to an everyday situation: «We usually end up with our shoulders hunched, our head forward and tilted, and our back hunched.».
The position of the head matters. Its weight generates a load that increases on the cervical structures when it moves forward. In this context, the so-called text neck is often cited to describe the discomfort associated with keeping the neck flexed for long periods, especially when using a mobile phone. However, the figures that speak of multiplying the load on the cervical spine by four or five should be interpreted with caution: they are biomechanical estimates that depend on the angle, body position, and each person's characteristics, and they don't mean the neck is literally supporting a fixed amount of extra kilos.
What is coherent from a musculoskeletal standpoint is that a sustained position can increase the demand on certain muscles and generate fatigue, stiffness, and pain. Discomfort can appear in the cervical area and extend toward the shoulders, the interscapular region, or the base of the skull. Some people also experience headaches associated with cervical muscle tension.
The jaw can also come into play
There is another element that often goes unnoticed: the jaw.
Stress, prolonged concentration, and muscle tension itself can make some people clench their teeth or unconsciously keep their jaw contracted. If this behavior is repeated for hours, overload of the masticatory muscles and discomfort in the jaw, facial, or temporal area can appear.
In these cases, it is especially useful to observe what happens at the end of a workday. Cervical stiffness, a feeling of heaviness in the shoulders, headache, a constant need to change position, or jaw tension are signs that deserve attention. So is noticing that we need to stand up, stretch, or move our neck continuously to regain some comfort.
Ergonomics starts long before the pain appears
Prevention doesn't require finding a perfect posture and holding it for eight hours. The human body is designed to move, and good ergonomics consists of facilitating that movement as well as correctly setting up the workstation.
The screen should be positioned so that it doesn't force you to constantly keep your neck flexed or your head forward. At a computer workstation, the height, distance, and position of the monitor should allow for a comfortable gaze, while the arms should have enough support to avoid permanently raising the shoulders.
The back also needs support and, above all, changes in position. Getting up periodically, walking for a few minutes, mobilizing the shoulders, and varying the position of the neck can be more relevant than trying to hold a posture considered «correct» for hours.
With a mobile phone, the difficulty increases. The screen is usually placed too low, and the head tilts forward to look at it. Raising the device toward your field of vision, alternating hands, and reducing prolonged periods of use can decrease the sustained load on the neck and shoulders.
It's also worth paying attention to the jaw. The upper and lower teeth don't need to stay in contact during a normal day. Detecting the habit of clenching and learning to consciously relax the muscles can be a simple measure when tension exists.
Can osteopathy help?
Díaz presents osteopathy as a tool for working on muscle tension and the mobility of the neck and shoulders. Manual techniques can provide short-term relief in some people with musculoskeletal pain, especially when combined with exercise, postural education, and modifications to the habits that maintain the problem.
Each intervention should be placed in its proper context. A manual session can temporarily reduce the sensation of stiffness or pain, but it can hardly compensate on its own for eight hours of immobility, a poorly adjusted workstation, or continued phone use with the neck flexed.
For recurrent cervical discomfort, physical activity, muscle strengthening, and regaining mobility play a fundamental role. And when pain persists, intensifies, or appears accompanied by neurological symptoms — such as weakness, loss of sensation, significant balance disturbances, or persistent radiating pain — an appropriate health assessment is warranted.
True postural hygiene in front of screens is not about obsessively monitoring the position of your back either. It has more to do with creating an environment that allows you to work comfortably, reducing sustained positions, and reclaiming something that technology has made surprisingly easy to forget: getting up and moving.
