a skeleton diagram showing the body

Gadgets to Prevent “Tech Neck” on the Road, in the Office & at Home

Smartphones, tablets, smart-watches and laptops have become a part of our everyday life. Too much tilted, head-forward posture for long periods of time however, will quickly lead to what many now call “Tech Neck”.

What is Tech Neck?

Have you ever been working non-stop, tackling #allthethings on that to-do list, rocking and rolling until your neck starts cramping up? Or perhaps you’re enjoying personal device entertainment on a flight? But, have to keep moving from looking down on the tray table vs. switching which hand is holding your phone? Tech Neck is real and #thestruggleisreal.

a man holding a tablet

Tech Neck is a condition caused by repeatedly craning your head down and forward to look at a screen, applying excess pressure–up to 50 pounds–on bones and muscle meant to handle only 10-12 pounds (the head’s weight at neutral). It can feel like a strain at the neck, stiffness in the shoulders, might result in headaches, and can do worse damage to the spine over time.

Accessories to Avoid Causing Tech Neck

Here’s Coworkaholic’s favorite gizmos and gadgets to avoid that pain in the neck (Sorry, we can’t do anything about that problematic coworker or client…)

Nextstand Laptop Stand

The best item I’ve purchased in a LONG time is the Nextstand Laptop Stand. Seriously it’s a TOTAL game changer. I’ve seen them floating around coworking spaces for years and never gave it a second thought. That was until after I spent an extended amount of time on the road and woke up one day unable to even move my neck.

a laptop on a table by a pool

Get anywhere from 5.5 inches to 12.6 inches of life for your Apple or PC laptop. The stand features 8 height adjustments to let you raise the screen height to your eye level for maximum comfort. Better ergonomics with this laptop stand mean you can sit in front of your laptop for longer.

The Nexstand Laptop Stand has universal fit for almost all laptops 11.6 inches and larger with a front edge less than 0.75 inches thick and a keyboard width greater than 11 inches.

AirClipZ

There are some smartphone and tablet cases that when opened can use the front cover to anchor into parts of the seat back pocket. While airlines are adding built-in tablet holders, they aren’t mainstream yet. With all the different types of seating out there, relying on your case alone can be hit or miss.

a plastic clip on a seat

That’s why we really love AirClipZ as an easy and affordable solution that works more often than not. (It’s better than the ziplock baggie method – and way better than the barf bag method.)

With AirClipZ, you can mount your iPad, tablet or mobile device directly on the airplane seat back tray table and lock it in place. To adjust the viewing angle simply slide the Adjusters up or down to create the perfect view. If you need to get up, just hang your headphones on the side of your device and you are good to go! Works with the Samsung Galaxy, Microsoft Surface and eReader products, too!

NEX Cell Phone Holder

So, some of the use examples of this product are a little extreme – though we don’t judge anyone. Using this as a stand is great, especially if the seat back on the plane proves problematic. Or, if you need to have a second screen using a tablet or a phone to raise up next to your monitor.

a collage of people using a device
a collage of people taking a selfie

Widely applicable to mobile phones and tablets with a length of more than 4.7 inches and a width of less than 7.6 inches. The NEX holder Compatible with most smart-phones, just like iphone X, 8plus, 8, 7 plus, 7, 6, 6s, 5, 5s/iPod touch/Samsung/LG/Huawei/HTC,ect.

The post Gadgets to Prevent “Tech Neck” on the Road, in the Office & at Home was first published on Coworkaholic.

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