A client once told me he gave away his desktop monitor at work.
Because he “didn’t need it.”
He worked from a laptop full-time. Three days at home and two in the office. It seemed convenient.
But what wasn’t convenient?
The nagging neck pain that followed him everywhere.
At first, he ignored it.
He stretched his neck, rolled his shoulders, and blamed it on stress. But as the months went on, the stiffness turned into sharp pain.
By the time he reached out for help, he was waking up every morning with a sore neck that made it hard to focus.
This is Tech Neck, a modern epidemic caused by constantly looking down at screens.
Your head weighs around 10–12 pounds, but for every inch it tilts forward, the strain on your neck multiplies. At a 45-degree angle, your neck muscles are handling up to 60 pounds of force. It is the equivalent of carrying a small child on your shoulders all day.
The result of Tech Neck?
- Tension headache
- stiff shoulder
- burning pain between your shoulder blades, and
- even long-term spinal changes.
The worst part of Tech Neck?
This pain isn’t going away on its own.
Most people don’t even realise their laptop is the culprit. Laptops aren’t designed for all-day use. The screen sits too low, forcing you to crane your neck down and slump forward. The more hours you spend in this position, the worse the damage.
Working on a laptop daily without adjusting your setup, sets you up for chronic pain, poor posture, and even long-term spinal damage.
Over time, Tech Neck leads to disc degeneration, nerve compression, and a permanently hunched posture that’s hard to reverse.
Why People Still Work on Laptops (And Why That Needs to Change)
Laptops are convenient. They’re compact and lightweight and let you work from anywhere. Many people don’t want the hassle of setting up a full desktop monitor. And some don’t even realise their posture is suffering until the pain kicks in.
At home, you might find yourself working from the dining table, the couch, or even the bed. You might be thinking:
“I’ll just do this for a bit.”
But a bit turns into hours, then days, then months. And before you know it, you’ve developed chronic pain that feels impossible to shake.
Laptops were never meant to be the primary workstation. Yet, that’s exactly how most use it.
Why You Must Remove the Trigger Before Fixing the Pain
You can do all the stretching, massaging, and strengthening exercises in the world. But if you don’t remove the root cause of tech neck, the pain will keep coming back.
Think of it as bailing water out of a sinking boat. If you don’t fix the leak, you’ll never stay afloat.
Here’s why quick fixes don’t work:
- Stretching helps, but it won’t undo hours of poor posture.
- Strengthening your upper back is great. But if your head stays forward, you’re reinforcing bad habits.
- Chiropractic adjustments or massages might bring temporary relief. But without changing your setup, the problem will return.
The first step is to remove the trigger:
Stop looking down at your laptop.
Only then can rehab exercises and posture corrections actually work.
Still Feeling Stiff? Here’s What to Do Next
Even with a perfect workstation setup, years of poor posture take a toll. Try these quick exercises to undo the damage:
Neck retractions
Gently pull your head back so your ears align with your shoulders. Hold for five seconds and repeat ten times.
Shoulder rolls
Roll your shoulders forward and backward to release tension.
Stand and move every 30-45 minutes
Changing positions throughout the day prevents stiffness and strain.
The One Fix That Actually Works for Tech Neck
The easiest way to stop laptop-related neck pain is to stop using your laptop as your main screen.
Laptops are designed for portability, not for all-day work. The screen sits too low, forcing you to look down and hunch forward.
The solution?
Use an external monitor instead.
Here’s how to set it up for maximum comfort:
1. Close your laptop:
If it’s open, you’ll be tempted to glance down at it. Instead, connect an external monitor and keep the laptop closed.
2. Position the monitor at eye level
The top third of your screen should be in line with your eyes when sitting upright. This prevents forward head tilt.
3. Use an external keyboard and mouse
This keeps your hands at a comfortable height and prevents wrist strain.
4. For meetings, use a riser or a sofa setup
Place your laptop on a riser or a stack of books for video calls. If you prefer a change of scenery, sit on the sofa for meetings instead of staying at your desk.
This one change eliminates the root cause of tech neck:
Poor screen positioning.
So your posture naturally improves without forcing yourself to sit up straight.
The Small Change That Saves Your Neck
If you’re experiencing daily neck pain or tech neck, your laptop setup is likely to blame. And if you don’t fix it, the pain isn’t going away.
I’ve seen that this one simple change:
Closing the laptop and switching to an external monitor brings instant relief to my clients.
It’s a small investment in your health, but it makes a massive difference.
Need help optimising your workstation? A remote workstation assessment can pinpoint exactly what’s causing your pain. Book yours here and start working pain-free today.
