Whether at work on a computer or home in the kitchen making dinner…when the phone rings and it’s just so easy to cradle it between your ear and shoulder and continue on with the task at hand. Though convenient, doing this for even short periods can cause problems. Let’s consider, for example, that you cradle the phone between your right ear and shoulder. In this position, the neck and shoulder alignment are altered in the following ways:

1. The muscles on the right side of the neck (such as the upper trapezius) are shortened and the left side are stretched. The muscles on the right may eventually get tight, and those on the left will weaken from over-stretching.

2. The joints on the right side of the neck get compressed, and those on the left side are opened. This can cause joint mobility problems where the joints on the right don’t glide as well due to being stiff/compressed. In addition, the left neck joints can start to move too much due to excess mobility.

3. The right shoulder shrugs up, causing the muscles around the shoulder blade as well as the upper traps to work over-time. This can contribute to problems in the upper back, with the shoulder blade, as well as with the entire shoulder complex.

So, given all that, it’s best to keep the neck and shoulder in their neutral, upright position while using the phone. In order to multi-task, this can best be achieved using a phone headset/earpiece or speakerphone if available. These allow the hands to stay free and the body to maintain a more ideal alignment, reducing the risk for neck and shoulder injuries.