Neck Text Syndrome: Growing Cases of “Neck Text Syndrome” Among Urban Adolescents Linked to Electronic Screen Use |

Mumbai: At 9 years old, Suyash from Vashi (name changed) underwent therapy that few people his age follow: around a dozen trigger point injectionsover the course of several sessions, directly to the places where the muscles in his neck and back were knotted.
Suyash, now 11, needed the ultrasound-guided injections because he had developed a musculoskeletal disorder called text neck syndromemost likely caused by lifestyle reasons such as poor posture and hunching over your cell phone or laptop for study and entertainment.
During the Covid pandemic, when online classes became the norm and outdoor play was banned, many young adults and children like Suyash developed text neck syndrome, also called tech neck. Some doctors prefer the generic term myofascial pain syndrome, chronic pain that affects the muscles and fascia (the tissues that surround the muscles).
“Suyash’s spasmic neck pain was so severe that he wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t talk, and there were times when his parents would be called from work to pick him up early from school,” said Dr. Pain management specialist Navita Purohit Vyas, who diagnosed and treated Suyash at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Andheri.
Even after Covid, the number of young people with technological necks is not decreasing.
According to neurosurgeon Dr Raghvendra Ramdasi of Jaslok Hospital on Pedder Road, the numbers are steadily increasing. “In 2023, I treated 125 patients suffering from severe neck pain and associated problems. This year, the number increased to 252. Among them, 180 are between 14 and 24 years old,” said the doctor, who works on a study on the increase in musculoskeletal disorders among 14-24 year olds.
Pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr Mandar Agashe of Fortis Hospital in Mulund said one or two teenagers with “neck pain” came to his clinic every other day. Dr. Purohit Vyas sees five to seven new cases among young people every week. Orthopedic surgeon Dr Siddharth Shah of Narayana Health SRCC Hospital Haji Ali said cases of ‘neck and upper back pain’ among adolescents were up 10-15 per cent over the previous year. previous year.
Apart from the Covid-induced lockdown, Dr Purohit Vyas believes that the reason for the increase in cases of myofascial pain is that play for many children has now become entirely digital and is no longer a physical activity. Their posture when playing or reading on their mobile is so incorrect that it leads to muscle tension. Dr Agashe said another reason is that “during the Covid pandemic, many people had low levels of vitamin D, which led to musculoskeletal disorders.”
Dr Abhishek Srivastava, specialist in rehabilitation medicine at Kokilaben Hospital, blamed poor understanding among the people for ergonomicson the need to keep the computer screen at the correct height so as not to have to bend the neck too much or position the keyboard just below elbow level. Dr. Agashe remembers a father who took “secret photos” of his daughter’s different postures while holding his cell phone. “Posture was clearly to blame for his neck pain,” he said, adding that many teenagers literally sit in the “C” position when using a computer. “Ideally, the neck should be at a 20- to 30-degree angle, but some bend their neck at a 60-degree angle, causing a three- to four-fold increase in strain on the neck,” he said.
The neck has three layers of muscles. The trapezius muscle in the outermost layer helps stabilize the neck. During repetitive injuries caused by poor posture or neck strain, spasms occur to protect the inside of the spine, Dr. Ramdasi said. The only silver lining to this epidemic of neck and back pain among adolescents is that it is curable. About 70% of young people with myofascial pain have mild problems. “Another 20 percent have moderate problems that require six weeks of rest, but the remaining 10 percent may need more, such as trigger point injections,” Dr. Srivastava said.
Take the example of medical student Daksh Agarwal, who developed myofascial pain syndrome in 2018 right after clearing NEET. Over the past six years, he has tried various medications, even acupuncture, but to no avail. In August, he met Dr Purohit Vyas, who advised him on trigger point injections and physiotherapy. “My pain, for the first time in years, has reduced by at least 80%, and doctors say it will improve,” Agarwal, who missed 2 years of check-ups due to pain. lies in strict limitations on the duration of use of the device and an optimal balance between activity, exercise and sport.