Get your body right series: What to do if you use phone all day

If you look at your phone multiple times a day then experts say you should do this simple exercise to avoid a common problem being seen in people aged 16 and up.

Brandon Demura demonstrates week four's exercises, designed by Kieser exercise scientist Deb Lawrence,

If you look at your phone multiple times a day or sit at a computer for work then experts say doing one simple move can help avoid the growing issue of “tech neck”.

Kieser exercise scientist Deb Lawrence said she was seeing people as young as 16 with neck pain problems from mobile phone and screen use.

Meanwhile sports physiotherapist Shaun Rodgers regularly comes across older people who are unable to check their blind spot while driving due to neck stiffness.

This week in the Get Your Body Right series we’re aiming to help prevent this and also upping the ante with a harder version of a previous exercise.

Brandon Demura demonstrates how to do a chin tuck, which only requires 20 per cent soft power on the neck. Picture: Tony Gough

To stop getting a sore neck and tension headaches from looking at your phone or screen all day, try doing a chin tuck, or neck flexion, outlined in the workout videos below.

“Anyone over the age of 16, I will see (neck problems), it’s so common, because they are looking at their phones and laptops at school,” Ms Lawrence said.

“If you don’t have good vision you lean forward.

“The long-term consequence is you can change the posture of your neck.

“(The chin tuck) can really help with some different types of neck pain and help break up office work.”

He is doing it standing, but as the video below shows, you can also do it lying on the ground. Picture: Tony Gough

Mr Rodgers, who works at Melbourne Sports Physio, said the chin tuck was an effective exercise he often gave clients.

“It stretches the muscles at the back of the neck and you get a little bit of strengthening at the front of the neck,” he said. “I definitely see a lot of people within our working population with neck pain, usually desk-based jobs and prolonged screen time.

“What we find in the older population is they have more stiffness in the morning, they commonly report the first 10 to 15 minutes out of bed is quite stiff and they feel like they have limited range of motion where they feel like they can’t look over each shoulder.

“The comment I often hear is ‘when I’m driving I can’t check my blind spot’.

“That’s very achievable to improve those symptoms.”

This superman exercise is very hard. Picture: Tony Gough

Meanwhile, to add some challenge to your core routine, we have increased the difficulty with a back extension, which you can do on your bed or the floor. Instead of just squeezing your shoulder blades together (like the lying shoulder raise from week two), if it doesn’t hurt, then try lifting your chest off the ground. “You can do a nice little hold for two to five seconds before slowly relaxing down,” Ms Lawrence said.

Week four workout:

WALK:

Try to reach 6500 steps a day or 45 minutes of walking when factoring in steps done incidentally throughout the day.

NEW EXERCISES

BEGINNER: 8 to 12 repetitions

INTERMEDIATE: 20 repetitions

ADVANCED: Go beyond until fatigued

CHIN TUCK

Stand with your back against the wall. Then softly push your neck back with only 20 per cent power. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat.

LEAN BACK

This will work your stomach muscles. Sit on the edge of a chair that’s resting against a wall so it’s safe. Cross your arms over your chest and keep your feet planted on the ground. With your core engaged, slowly lean back slightly. Hold for a second. Then rise again.

LEG CYCLING

This will work your abdominal muscles. Lie on your back, either on the floor or your bed. Put your legs up with your knees bent in a 90-degree angle. Cycle them like you would a bike for 30 seconds with your core engaged.

SIDE PLANK

Sit on your right side with your right forearm resting on the floor. Bend your knees slightly (right). Lift up your hips and hold for a few seconds. Then lower back down. Repeat on each side.

More advanced: Extend your legs out so when you raise your hips you are on your feet (which are pointing in the direction you’re facing) instead of your knees.

GLUTE BRIDGE

Lie on your back with you're your feet on the ground hip-width apart. Your arms should be down by your side. Tuck your pelvis and slowly roll your spine up so your hips are in the air. Hold at the top as you inhale, then exhale to roll back down.

BACK EXTENSION OR SUPERMAN

This is increasing the difficulty from week two. Lie on your front with our arms in a W position. Lift your chest off the ground very slightly. Hold for two to five seconds.

More advanced: Have your arms out in front of you when you peel your chest up off the ground. Lift your feet up as well, so you are squeezing your glutes.

DO THIS TO IMPROVE BALANCE

Give this, explained in the video below, a go to work on your balance which is important as we age.

Who are our experts?

Deb Lawrence is an experienced exercise scientist and sports scientist at Kieser in Melbourne. She is passionate about strength longevity, injury prevention and loves sports like futsal, hockey and soccer.

Bill Dooley is a clinical exercise scientist, which he says is just a fancy way of saying he helps people with exercise. His interest is in helping people to exercise for the first time at any age, or helping people get back into exercise later in life.

FOLLOW ALONG

Each week high-profile journalist Anthony Dowsley will follow the workout plan to help him train for his upcoming trek of Machu Picchu – this is what he thought about last week.

Anthony Dowsley recommends watch Rocky to keep you inspired through the workouts.

It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

If you don’t remember this quote, it’s a line from Rocky, the legendary movie about a down and out boxer from Philadelphia, Rocky Balboa, who out-of-nowhere gets a shot at the heavyweight title.

If motivation is what you need, there’s no better story.

It’s a good one to help you keeping going in the Get Your Body Right series.

I ticked over 10,000 steps a day including three runs this week – so I’m over target.

And to keep things interesting, I stopped to do some arm and core strength at the local park by using a park chair.

But it was a big fail when it came to the “dead bug” exercise.

It was a little embarrassing, but that’s not a first.

A couple of years ago I drove with my mate, Sam, from Chicago to Philadelphia with the sole purpose of running up the iconic stairs Rocky climbed in the lead up to his big fight.

Sam begged me not to do it.

But I did it anyway.

There’s a set of footmarks at the top so you can raise your fists in the same exact spot, Rocky-style.

Sam also knew I would do this and he figured it was pretty cringe-worthy, but what the hell, you only live once.

The first flight of stairs was OK. The second, a little tougher.

By the third I wasn’t leaping steps like Balboa did.

Then, as Rocky would say, my legs didn’t move so good no more.

But you just have to keep moving forward.

I kind of wish I hadn’t filmed it because it’s living proof I was moving even slower than I remember.

It doesn’t matter.

So I’ll leave you with another Rocky pearler.

“Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up.”

Readers should consult their GP or physio before starting any exercise program. The above are suggestions that might be considered in consultation with a medical professional.

Originally published as Get your body right series: What to do if you use phone all day