Turtle neck syndrome with a load of more than 15kg on the neck, to prevent it?
May 05, 2025
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Turtle neck syndrome (Turtle neck syndrome) is a disease in which the muscles and ligaments of the shoulder are stretched and pain occurs due to an abnormal posture in the form of the neck falling forward. The normal neck bone consists of a total of seven. The ear is on the same vertical line as the shoulder blade, and the neck bone maintains a C-shape that is convexly curved forward. Turtle neck syndrome occurs when the neck bone does not maintain a normal C-shape and maintains a posture in which the head is tilted forward for a long time.
"Turtle neck syndrome is also caused by aging or muscle weakness, but it is also increasing in young people who use electronic devices such as computers and smartphones for a long time," said Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Catholic University of Korea's Incheon St. Mary's Hospital.
Turtle neck syndrome can cause various pain and functional disorders such as headaches, sleep disorders, and disk damage beyond just external problems. Each time the head comes forward 1cm, an additional load of 2 to 3kg is applied to the cervical spine. If the turtle neck is severe, it can carry a load of up to 15kg or more on the neck bone. This can increase pressure on the cervical intervertebral disc, causing back neck and shoulder pain. If excessive muscle tension persists, the pain may become chronic due to fascia pain syndrome.
In addition, when the nerves between the head and neck bones are pressed, headaches can occur, leading to poor sleep quality and chronic fatigue and decreased concentration. In the long term, it accelerates disk damage and arthritis, and lung capacity may be reduced by 30% due to decreased cervical vertebrae muscle function.
Turtle neck syndrome is generally diagnosed through posture observation and medical history listening. Imaging tests such as radiography are also conducted, but even if the imaging findings are normal, there may be symptoms, so clinical judgment is important. The basis of treatment is maintaining the right posture. If you stretch your shoulders, raise your head straight, and do a stretching exercise that tilts your neck back every 20-30 minutes, it will help relieve symptoms. If the symptoms are severe, medication, physical therapy, and injection therapy can be combined.
For prevention, it is necessary to improve the environment in daily life. Point your chest toward the ceiling to arrange the shoulder and neck bones correctly, and the computer screen is at eye level. It is recommended to use large monitors and letters as much as possible. Keep the mouse and keyboard close to the body. Use smartphones at eye level so that you don't lower your head. It is also helpful to avoid sitting in the same position for a long time, and to relax tense muscles by stretching from time to time.
"Turtle neck syndrome can be accompanied by curled shoulders and curved backs, so it is important to correct a full-body posture that straightens your shoulders and straightens your head," the audience professor said. "If left unattended, it can worsen to disk damage and chronic neuralgia, so efforts to prevent and manage it early through improvement of correct posture and lifestyle are needed."
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
