In this article, you will discover:
- The truth behind the “tech neck” myth and why you’ve been tricked
- The root cause behind neck pain based on actual peer-reviewed studies, and
- A 2-minute routine to eliminate neck pains from the comfort of your own home
Tech neck. Text neck. These are some of the names many experts have been claiming causes neck pain.
According to them, as people spend more time using phones, they bend their necks looking down at their phones. This can create “tightness or pain in the neck and shoulders” due to the excessive force applied on the neck.
This is based on a 2014 study, which suggested tilting your head downwards applies 60 lbs of “force to cervical spine” [1]. And many people have concluded that this must be why their necks hurt so much.
However, there are a few unaddressed problems with this assumption.
First, the average smartphone user isn’t holding that posture for long enough to cause pain. On average, adults use their smartphones between 3.5 to 5 hours every day. And in short bursts.
Think about it, how often are you using your phone for an hour or more at a time?
And even if you do bend your neck at that angle for a long duration, the moment your neck hurts, you’ll switch positions and the pain will be gone almost as soon as it appears.
That’s how our bodies work.
More importantly, in that study, the methods and definitions used are not clear. The purpose of laying out the methods used in the study clearly is so that it can be replicated. And if it can be replicated to achieve the same results, this means that it may more likely be true.
Which isn’t the case in said study.
60 lbs of force to the cervical spine in this case isn’t consistent with the typical studies on biomechanics. Which is why researchers have had trouble recreating those results.
The fact is, our necks are more durable and hardy than we think.
It takes a full-grown hippopotamus to break the neck
That’s how much force our neck can stand or take before it breaks. Over 300 kilograms-force, or 3000 Newtons of force.
60 lbs of force is next to nothing compared to what our bodies can withstand. And the studies show it.
A study was done on 1,108 participants in 2016. They were split into 4 clusters according to their neck postures: upright, intermediate, slumped shoulders with forward head and upright shoulders with forward head.
The results? No correlation was found between neck pain or headaches and posture [2].
Another meta analysis on 15 studies published in 2019, showed that there might be a slight correlation between “tech neck” and neck pain [3].
However, the researchers also said that there is extremely high heterogeneity between the studies. Which means it is much harder to control for differences, which reduces confidence in the findings.
This is congruent with a 2013 meta analysis that was inconclusive due to contradictory results in the 13 studies chosen [4].
In short: no one can conclude how much neck posture has to do with neck pain, but chances are there’s no connection.
So if neck posture doesn’t lead to pain, why does your neck really hurt?
The cause of neck pain is your posture, but not for the reasons you think
Unless you’ve gotten into an accident or incurred damage to your neck or spine, chances are you have what is called “nonspecific neck pain”. And contrary to popular belief, chronic neck pain does not mean ongoing damage.
Nonspecific (or chronic) neck pain happens when the body experiences stiffness, for example with prolonged sitting during long-haul flights. But wait, isn’t that proof that poor posture leads to pain?
Not really. It has nothing to do with force or “bad posture”.
Ask any soldier who is required to stand still on parade for hours in an upright “good” posture. At some point they will experience pain too. This happens because the brain interprets the experience as a potential threat and sends pain signals.
The longer you stay in a single posture, the more intense the sensation. Does that mean there is damage or injury? No.
Dr. Caleb Burgess, a physical therapist, puts it succinctly: “Spending too much time in any position without moving into other positions is the problem.” Not “text neck”. Not anterior pelvic tilt. Not even slouching.
But your neck still hurts. And if you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for a solution. Neck pain, whether specific or nonspecific can limit our day to day activities. In the short term, neck pain is a real problem.
The good news is there is a way you can treat chronic neck pain— without spending thousands of dollars on “ergonomic” furniture or resorting to taking medication (which aren’t great for your body).
And the best part is, you don’t have to give up using your smartphone. You can text away to your heart’s content.
This proven method could help alleviate nonspecific neck pain naturally by up to 70%
A study in 2015 on 228 individuals who had nonspecific neck pain showed that massage helps to relieve chronic neck pain, particularly 60-minute treatments, 2 to 3 times weekly [6].
Another randomized controlled trial on 56 participants in 2019 found that massage helped improve nonspecific neck pain by 70%, with superior effects compared to stretching [7].
More recently, a 2020 randomized controlled trial of 619 adults who experienced neck pain were subjected to four types of treatments: massage, exercise, combination of both and regular advice.
The results showed that massage and combined therapy had the biggest results in reducing pain [8].
There are several more studies on the topic of massage and neck pain, but the verdict is clear: Massage therapy helps reduce neck pain, specifically in nonspecific neck pain.
The truth is, massage therapy isn’t practical. It’s not convenient (you have to schedule ahead of time), not cheap (can cost hundreds of dollars per month) and not fast (you have to set aside a couple of hours including travel for a massage).
And for a long time, we had no choice.
But a new type of device has been taking the neck pain industry by storm. Called massage guns, they were first used by professional athletes to help with pain and soreness.
In the last few years, many people have begun using it for pain management due to its effectiveness.
And they have been proven to be more effective than traditional massage therapy at helping relieve neck pain without side effects.
But before you buy just any massage gun, it’s important to know that not all massage guns are equal…
This startup solved the biggest problem in the massage gun industry
As one of the fastest growing industries in recent years, massage guns have become wildly popular. Because of that, it has also attracted many companies that enter the space to earn a quick buck.
These fly-by-night companies focus on flooding the market with cheap products that break down easily and don’t work as advertised. They tend to promise the world, but offer little in terms of the actual experience.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are growing market leaders who take advantage of this rapid growth to charge high prices. After all, there is no “market standard”.
And a huge bulk of their business expenses go into securing million dollar celebrities to push their products.
Sure, they have solid premium products. However, they tend to keep their prices artificially high and focus on marketing and multi-million dollar endorsements.
This changed when a group of entrepreneurs decided things needed to change.
Having experienced both ends of the spectrum,they decided to bridge the gap. Their goal: To make a premium yet affordable massage gun.
They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars working to develop the perfect massage gun—Hydragun—which has been making waves internationally.
Introducing the Hydragun: Quieter, Faster, Longer Battery Life and Cheaper than leading massage gun brands
Compared to the top 5 leading massage gun brands, Hydragun emerged the winner in these categories.
It was on average 48.3% quieter, 18.5% faster, 30.3% cheaper and had a 30.4% longer battery life than other massage guns on the market.
The Hydragun is powered by their proprietary SmoothDrive™ motor, which has increased energy efficiency leading to a powerful yet quiet massage and a longer battery life.
That’s not all, Hydragun also scored well on design and build quality. Its casing is made of aerospace-grade aluminium which makes it lightweight yet resistant to knocks and drops.
And its 99-degree handle is designed for ergonomic use, aligning optimally between the forearm, wrist and fingers to reduce pressure and pain in the wrist from awkward angles.
How to use the Hydragun to treat chronic neck pain
The Hydragun is incredibly simple to use. It comes with 6 attachments, which you can choose. For the neck, we recommend the ball or forked heads (for the back of the neck).
Choose your speed (slower speeds for a gentler, soothing massage and faster speeds for a stronger massage). Float it over the area of your neck where the pain is and push it deeper if necessary.
Avoid bony areas, especially at the back of your neck. Use the forked head to avoid massaging directly on your spine.
Just 2 minutes, moving often around the area is enough to deeply relax the tight and sore muscles and reduce pain naturally with no side effects.
Benefits of using Hydragun massage gun
- Reduce muscle soreness and body pain [9]
- Increase range of motion and muscle activation to reduce injury risk [10]
- Save time. A 15-minute full body routine is as effective as massage therapy [9]
- More affordable than traditional massage therapy options or massage chairs
- 48.3% quieter than leading massage guns for a more pleasant experience
- 3-6 hour battery life allows you to use for weeks on each charge
- Multi-speed settings and changeable heads makes it customizable for every body part and intensity preference.
Here’s why so many people love the Hydragun
Having been featured on many major websites and publications, like Forbes, GQ, Business Insider and POPSUGAR—the Hydragun has been called “the Quietest” and “Most Value for Money” by some of them.
And their customers agree.
Which is why they’ve gotten 97% 5-star reviews from all their customers. People all over the world love Hydragun, and demand often is high especially at this time of year when people are starting to shop for gifts.
If you’re reading this, that means there may still be stock available. Click the button below to check the availability of Hydragun.
If it doesn’t work for you, you don’t pay a single cent—Unconditional 30-day risk-free guarantee
If you’re still on the fence, this might convince you to give Hydragun a try. Every purchase is protected by an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee.
That means you can buy it, try it, and if for any reason you don’t like it—send it back to them for a 100% refund. You don’t pay a single cent if Hydragun doesn’t help alleviate your neck pain.
More than that, every Hydragun also comes with a free international 1.5-year warranty. Get a replacement or repair if your device breaks down during the warranty period.
Their customer service is one of the best in the industry. With responsive customer care specialists who are available to assist you 7 days a week.
Eliminate neck pain for good with Hydragun today
Experiencing neck pain can be a pain in the neck (ha), but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer from it. While it’s not exactly life threatening, neck pain can inhibit a lot of our daily life.
And the worst part is that it comes suddenly and unexpectedly. You could go to sleep tonight feeling fine, and wake up with a crick in your neck that lasts for days.
Imagine having the peace of mind knowing you have a solution at arm’s reach ready to help you deal with neck pain.
Wouldn’t that peace of mind be worth it?
If eliminating neck pain is something you want, check the availability of the quietest massage gun on the market today.