A lot of adults spend much of each day at a desk working, on a sofa on our phones or watching TV, or otherwise engaged with a screen. Stiffness in the hips, shoulders, and lower back can be caused or worsened by sitting in front of screens. But, how to combat this? Experts in body mechanics are now saying “adult tummy time” might be the answer.
Repetitive positions like those needed to work at a screen can put strain on the neck. It’s something called “tech neck” caused by looking down at a phone or tablet for too long. Severe tech neck can put the equivalent of 60 pounds of pressure on the cervical spine and neck. This can lead to pain in the arms, hands, and shoulders, too. But, sitting down can also have ramifications on other parts of the body such as stiff hips and lower back pain.
Beginning in the 1990s child development specialists began suggesting that parents give their babies tummy time to help them grow. The position is not recommended for babies to sleep in, but it can be useful for strengthening babies’ core muscles, as well as helping them become agile as they learn to crawl and walk. Some children really don’t enjoy it, while others take to it well.
It turns out the same principles for baby tummy time are at work for adults, who can lose some flexibility and strength through sitting too much.
On social media videos about adult tummy time have been getting millions of views, but it’s not just a trendy thing to do. Yoga and stretching routines often incorporate tummy time to help ease up tense backs and hips. And, physical therapy for back injuries has long relied on facedown exercises to help strengthen muscles as lying on one’s stomach naturally extends the spine. And, moving in novel ways helps the spine to decompress.
Physical therapist Zach Smith spoke to Health and said, “…because you’re laying down your stomach and your head is up off the ground, that will also put your neck into extension instead of in a flexed posture, which is what tech neck is from.”
To counteract tech neck and other issues experts recommend doing yoga poses like cobra or baby cobra or to simply watch TV while laying on the floor on your stomach for ten or more minutes a day. That sounds so much like when we were kids happily playing on the floor! As school-age children many of us spent time on our tummies drawing, watching television, or playing games. But, as we got older the occasions for us to spend time on our bellies diminish. This is where intentional floor time for adults can come in. By spending time on your stomach you are fighting gravity to hold your neck up. Over time this can gradually strengthen and provide stability to the spine and other joints.
Some fans of the practice suggest taking a break from screens during adult tummy time, giving a chance for a mental reset in addition to a physical one.