Exercise and Life Modification for Text-Neck

Objectives: Smartphones or tablets have made an important place in our lives. However long-term use of technological tools causes postural disorders and neck pain called "text neck". The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of exercise and life modification on pain and disability in "text neck".

Methods: Eighty-five participants with "text-neck" were randomly divided into three groups: Exercise (n=29), Exercise+Life modification (n=28), and Control Group (n = 28). First group received a home exercise program treatment for 4 weeks. Second group received life modification suggestions additional to home exercise treatment program. Control group did not receive any treatments. Pain intensity during rest, activity, and at night was evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and functional assessment was done by using Neck Disability Index at the beginning and at the end of 4 weeks.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants who were aged between 18 and 30, using technological devices as tablets and smartphones for more than 5 hours and having neck pain for more than 3 months were included in our study.

Exclusion criteria

• The exclusion criteria included those:

• who had any diagnosed pathology for neck region diagnosed by MR or BT,
• who had any shoulder pathology,
• with any neck or shoulder surgery,
• had whiplash syndrome,
• had fibromyalgia, Myofasial Pain Syndrome or vascular pathology and
• women who are breastfeeding.