Massage Therapy Journal Winter 2025

46 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

Reduced engagement with these real-world signals may contribute to emotional dysregulation and weakened interpersonal relationships. A 2020 systematic review found that excessive social media use in adolescents was associated with heightened psychological distress and disruption in emotional and social development. 11 A key concern is the impact on young adults and teenagers, whose brains are still in critical stages of development. Excessive screen time can alter the growth and integration of brain areas like the amygdala, responsible for emotional processing, and the prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making and impulse control. This contributes to a range of challenges, from social withdrawal to increased anxiety levels, all of which can perpetuate the cycle of technology dependence and further exacerbate physical issues. Massage Therapy’s Role in the Mind–Body Connection Massage therapy, although often thought of first as a treatment for physical discomfort, plays an important role in bringing awareness to and even addressing the broader mind-body connection. By promoting relaxation, decreasing stress responses, and encouraging body and breath awareness, massage can indirectly alleviate some of the behavioral and emotional issues linked with tech neck. Massage therapists should remember that their work goes beyond just releasing tight muscles or helping with a headache. Massage can also help clients reconnect with their bodies and let go of holding patterns, providing an opportunity to reduce the psychological impacts of prolonged device use. More recent studies suggest that physical touch—like that provided through massage therapy—can significantly reduce stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. A 2023 study found that regular physical touch is linked to lower levels of stress and better emotional health outcomes, 12 which reinforces the idea that massage therapy, even just through physical touch, can be an essential element in alleviating the broader symptoms of tech neck syndrome.

By using gentle guidance and helping to educate clients on device usage, ergonomics and aftercare, outcomes can improve even more. Self-Care Recommendations and the Therapist’s Holistic Toolkit While directly addressing social or behavioral issues might fall outside the scope of massage therapy, understanding these effects empowers massage therapists to provide more holistic support to their clients. This is particularly true when recommending self-care practices that contribute to both physical and mental well being—especially as they relate to the long-term management of tech neck syndrome. Massage therapists can recommend evidence informed techniques that support relaxation, postural awareness and stress resilience, including: • Mindful movement: Practices like yoga, tai chi or qigong integrate movement and breath, reduce muscular tension and help calm the nervous system. Attending group classes or practicing outdoors may also promote community engagement and emotional connection—two critical counterbalances to device-related isolation. • Breathing techniques: Diaphragmatic breathing improves both posture and autonomic nervous system regulation. Clients who adopt this practice may experience less neck and shoulder tension, better sleep and increased emotional clarity. • Guided meditation and support tools: Massage therapists can introduce clients to guided meditations, either through personal recordings, trusted apps or recommended online programs. Clients may also benefit from using aromatherapy, calming music or other multisensory tools to reinforce the relaxation they experience during massage. • Digital detox strategies: Recommending short breaks from screens, tech-free rituals (like leaving devices out of the bedroom), or mindful screen usage can have wide-reaching benefits. These strategies support better sleep, improve postural awareness and reduce the emotional overwhelm often tied to constant connectivity.

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