I had been treating patients for the effects of shrimp posture for years before seeing those words in a fashion magazine article a couple of years ago. Shrimp posture occurs when we hunch over our laptops, tablets, and smartphones, and our resting position becomes curved like a shrimp.
A related condition, tech neck, affects only the top of our spine, while shrimp posture involves the full length of our spine. Tech neck is also called “text neck” because texting is a prime cause. As a doctor of chiropractic (DC), I can tell you that, left untreated, the consequences of both conditions can be serious.
Tech neck first came to my attention about 10 years ago while reading about the findings of Kenneth K. Hansraj, M.D., a spinal and orthopedic surgeon. Immediately, a question fired off in my brain: Why is a spinal surgeon taking up this charge when surgery is at the end of the equation after significant damage is done? Chiropractors are at the beginning of the equation, offering prevention and non-surgical solutions.
I now had a quest: Be the first to educate consumers about these conditions and take surgery out of the equation.
What Happens When We’re Left to Our Own Devices
Imagine a shrimp with its C-shaped body. Now imagine yourself looking like a shrimp when using your devices! This posture curves the spine and compresses the stomach, and over time, you can get acid reflux, brain fog, chronic fatigue, and pain—including sciatica.
I’m even seeing shrimp posture in children whose parents or caregivers let them play with handheld devices during appointments with me. Little kids are beginning to complain of tech neck symptoms.
We Can Prevent Tech Neck
Posture changes creep up over time, weakening some muscles and overworking others. Stooped shoulders, drooping heads, and reduced mobility can become chronic and even permanent. Remember the saying, “Practice makes perfect?” When it comes to posture, practice makes permanence, and those are not the kinds of results we want to last forever.
But they can be treated, and in many cases, reversed, by replacing unhealthy posture habits with healthy ones, and chiropractors can help. Even when damage is permanent, relief is possible.
For instance, these four words, “in, up, back, down” are among the easiest ways to stop tech neck. Some other tech neck preventions and relief:
- Raising computer monitors
- Yoga or Pilates
- Ergonomic office furniture such as sit-stand desks
If you’re already experiencing headaches, neck, or back pain, it’s time to get it checked out.
Powerful Healing Benefits of Improved Posture
Correcting shrimp posture improves circulation and lung capacity, getting more oxygen and blood to our brains and boosting energy and alertness. Anxiety, depression, and fatigue often vanish. We look healthier and feel better. It stands to reason that longevity and quality of life are also connected to good posture.
Shrimp Posture Might Predate the Digital Age
We are less active and more sedentary than humans of the past. Less mobility slows blood flow and decreases lubrication and hydration of joints and muscles. Muscles tighten, ligaments change, and tissue breaks down.
I would bet that poor posture has always been prevalent. The difference is that many of our predecessors chased their own dinners and built their own shelters. Even relatively recent tasks, such as hanging laundry out to dry, helped prevent the levels of posture problems we experience today.
First Steps Toward Better Posture
The first step to better posture is recognizing the problem. A postural exam, which chiropractors are uniquely qualified to provide, is a great way to do this. Chiropractors help patients spot unhealthy habits and replace them with healthy ones. Since everyone has their own challenges, a personalized review can address them specifically.
So Many Reasons to Hope
I treated an older patient whose forward head posture affected his balance and caused him to fall, injuring his neck and wrist and breaking four ribs. Using information about his sleep position and his posture while watching TV, I recommended swimming to strengthen his back, changing his sleep positions, and using a chair, allowing him to lean back. His balance improved with his sleep and energy, and he even took up biking. .
Chiropractors educate patients who become healthier, make better choices for their children, and prevent problems before they start. In addition to maintaining healthy habits, I encourage patients to maintain hope that their commitment to them will be rewarded.
Hope helps keep motivation alive.
Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about shrimp posture and tech neck, check out my article at the Foundation for Chiropractic Education.