Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Laptop Posture May Strain The Neck, Surgeon Warns
Looking down at a laptop for a long time can make your neck work harder than usual.
The muscles must continuously support your head when it is held forward.
This can cause tired muscles, soreness, stiffness and headaches.
Your shoulders and upper back may also become tense.
Doctors call this kind of discomfort “tech neck.”
One 2026 study found that 52.4% of university students had neck pain during the previous week.
Another survey found that 64.5% of college students had neck pain linked to prolonged device use.
Raising the screen to eye level and taking movement breaks can help.
Pain with numbness, weakness or pain traveling into the arms should be checked by a doctor.
Looking down at a laptop for long periods can strain the neck, joints and cervical spine.
A 2026 student study found that 52.4% reported neck pain in the previous week.
The study linked laptop use to nearly 2.7 times higher odds of neck pain than phone use.
A separate 2026 survey found that 64.5% of college students experienced device-related neck pain.
Dr. Zahir Abbas Merchant recommends eye-level screens, supported arms and movement breaks every 30 to 40 minutes.
- Who
- Laptop users, particularly students, and Consultant Spine Surgeon Dr. Zahir Abbas Merchant of Saifee Hospital, Mumbai.
- What
- The article explains how prolonged downward-looking laptop posture may strain the neck and spine and offers ways to reduce the strain.
- When
- The article was published and last updated on August 21, 2026.
- Where
- The medical guidance comes from Saifee Hospital in Mumbai; the cited studies involved university and college students.
- Why
- Holding the head forward and downward for long periods places sustained stress on the neck muscles, joints and cervical spine.
- Neck-pain prevalence
- 52.4% of university students in a 2026 study reported neck pain during the previous week.
- Laptop-use association
- Laptop use was linked to nearly 2.7 times higher odds of neck pain compared with phone use in the cited 2026 study.
- Device-related pain
- A separate 2026 survey found that 64.5% of college students experienced neck pain associated with prolonged social media use on devices.
- Recommended screen position
- Keep the laptop screen at eye level.
- Movement breaks
- Get up and move around every 30 to 40 minutes.
- Additional support
- Support the back and arms while working.
- Warning symptoms
- Neck pain accompanied by arm pain, numbness or weakness should be evaluated by a doctor.