For thousands of years, humans have hunched over to light fires, care for our children and harvest plants. But the modern version of this position — curving forward from focus or fatigue, then lifting our chins to stare at our screens — can lead to pain for many people.
“The important thing about posture is it’s not such a binary good and bad,” said Claire Hsing, a physical therapist in Boulder, Colorado. Our bodies can be comfortable in many different positions, but few of them are ideal to hold for long periods of time, she said.
Stretches that release tension in the muscles along the neck and the tops of the shoulders can help. It’s also important to strengthen the muscles in your mid-back and along your spine, and improve your mobility in these areas.
The following routine includes exercises that check each of these boxes — and many of them can be done right at your desk. Videos of individual exercises at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/30/well/move/tech-neck-exercises.html
Chin tuck Repetitions: Two or three sets of five to eight reps
Upper trap stretch Repetitions: Two or three reps per side
Levator stretch Repetitions: Two or three reps per side
Isometric cervical rotation Repetitions: Five reps per side
Supine snow angels Repetitions: Two or three sets of six to eight reps
Cat-Cow Repetitions: Move smoothly between the two positions for 30 to 60 seconds
Bent-over rows Repetitions: Two to four sets of six to 10 reps
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