Is Your Phone a Pain in the Neck? A Caboolture Chiropractor on 'Tech Neck'

July 2026 • Dr David Chapman (Chiropractor) • Centrepoint Chiropractic Clinic, Caboolture South

In more than forty years of looking after necks around Caboolture, one thing has changed the picture more than anything else — the little screen everyone now carries in their pocket. When I started, a stiff neck usually came from a fall, a car knock or heavy work. These days a good share of the neck complaints I see are tied to the hours we spend with our heads bowed over a phone, a tablet or a laptop. People have started calling it "tech neck," and it's worth understanding, because a few simple changes can make a real difference.

What "Tech Neck" Actually Means

Your head is heavy — around the weight of a bowling ball — and it's designed to sit balanced neatly on top of your spine, where the bones and muscles share the load comfortably. The trouble starts when you tip it forward to look down at a screen. The further forward your head drops, the harder the muscles at the back of your neck and upper back have to pull just to stop it falling further. Hold that bowed position for a few minutes and it's fine. Hold it for hours a day, day after day, and those muscles get tired, tight and sore. That nagging ache across the base of the neck and the tops of the shoulders is one of the most common things I hear about, and screens are very often part of the story.

Why We're Seeing More of It Around Moreton Bay

It isn't only office workers. I see it in the tradie checking job messages at smoko, the commuter scrolling on the train from Morayfield, the retiree who's discovered the iPad, and — increasingly — teenagers who spend hours a day with their heads down. Wherever there's a screen and a bowed head, the same forward-neck posture shows up. The good news is that because it's largely a posture-and-habit problem, it's also one you have a lot of control over.

Simple Things That Help

None of these are complicated, and you can start today:

• Bring the screen up, not your head down. Lift your phone closer to eye level instead of dropping your chin to your chest. It feels a bit odd at first, but it takes a lot of load off the neck.
• Set your desk up properly. The top of your monitor should be roughly at eye level, so you're looking straight ahead rather than down. If you work off a laptop for long stretches, a stand plus a separate keyboard makes a big difference.
• Take regular "look up" breaks. Every twenty minutes or so, lift your eyes off the screen, roll your shoulders back and gently draw your chin backwards (not up — back, like making a soft double chin). A handful of these resets through the day helps undo the forward creep.
• Watch the couch slump. Curling up with the phone in the evening is when a lot of us spend the most time bent forward. Prop yourself up with a cushion so your head isn't hanging.
• Keep moving. The neck doesn't like being held in any one position for too long, even a good one. Regular movement through the day beats sitting perfectly still.

If poor posture has become a habit, my page on posture problems goes into it a little further.

When It's Worth Getting Your Neck Looked At

Most everyday neck stiffness settles with a bit of movement and better screen habits. But some neck pain is worth having assessed rather than pushing through. I'd suggest getting it checked if the pain hangs around for more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, or if it comes with headaches, or with pins and needles, numbness or aching that travels down into the shoulder or arm. Those are signs it's worth a proper look to work out what's actually going on — which might involve neck pain, headaches, an old whiplash injury, or something involving the discs.

Important Information

This article is for general educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for individual professional advice. Everyone's neck and daily routine are different, and general posture tips won't suit every situation. Reading this is not a diagnosis — identifying what's driving your pain requires a proper individual assessment by a qualified health professional.

Dr David Chapman (Chiropractor) at Centrepoint Chiropractic Clinic, Caboolture South, provides assessment and management of neck and musculoskeletal complaints. Benefits and risks exist with all health treatments; temporary local soreness may occur, and individual results vary. DVA approved provider and Medicare GPCCMP referrals accepted, no gap fee. Dr David Chapman (Chiropractor) is registered with AHPRA (CHI0001610092), and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

← Back to Blog