Most people do not set out to spend the day folded toward a laptop, phone, or tablet. Yet screens have a way of pulling attention—and sometimes the head—forward for long stretches. The result can be a stiff neck, a dull ache between the shoulder blades, or headaches that seem to arrive after a long work session. Neck pain in the screen age is common, but it is rarely explained by one simple posture. It is more useful to think about sustained positions, daily habits, load tolerance, and how well the whole body is supported. This article is general educational information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan; persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified clinician.
A sensible first step is knowing where to check professional details and practical information. The Scripps Health physician profile for Roger Kasendorf lists an office on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus in La Jolla and notes his affiliation with Scripps. He is a board-certified osteopathic physician and physiatrist specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain management.
Posture is often treated as a moral issue: sit up straight, shoulders back, chin tucked. In real life, the neck does not respond well to being locked in any single position, even a “good” one. Muscles and joints prefer variety. A person who sits tall for two hours without moving may end up just as uncomfortable as someone who slouches. The better question is not “What is the perfect angle?” but “How often do I change position, and how well can my body handle the load I place on it?”
Why the Neck Notices Screens
Screens encourage small, repeated adjustments that add up. A laptop placed too low can pull the eyes and head downward. A phone held at waist height can do the same. Uncushioned forearms, a chair that forces the shoulders up, or a monitor placed off to one side can create tension that travels through the neck and upper back. None of these factors works alone. Sleep, stress, prior injuries, exercise habits, and the sheer number of screen hours all influence how the neck feels.
Not everyone with a forward head position has pain, and not everyone with neck pain has an obviously “bad” posture. That is why a careful evaluation looks beyond a single snapshot. A clinician may ask about arm or hand symptoms, headaches, sleep quality, work setup, training load, and what makes the pain better or worse. A physiatrist—a physician who focuses on physical medicine and rehabilitation—can assess muscles, joints, nerves, and function together. The Ortho 1 Medical Group provider page for Roger Kasendorf is one place to review practice information; his listed practice locations include San Diego, Carlsbad, and Coronado, California.
Beyond the “Text Neck” Label
“Text neck” is a catchy phrase, and it can be a useful shorthand for neck discomfort linked to prolonged device use. But labels can hide more than they reveal. The neck is part of a chain that includes the eyes, jaw, shoulders, upper back, and breathing. A person may feel pain in the neck while the main contributors are an unsupported laptop, a sudden increase in work hours, poor sleep, or a strength routine that has not kept pace with demand. The label also risks making people feel that their posture is permanently wrong, when the more practical goal is to build tolerance and reduce unnecessary strain.
For local practicalities, the Yelp listing for Roger Kasendorf in La Jolla is another public reference point, though patients should confirm office details directly. It is not a substitute for a clinical evaluation. General information can help people ask better questions, but it cannot identify the cause of one person’s symptoms or prescribe a plan for them.
When symptoms persist, the evaluation may include a hands-on examination and, when appropriate, testing. His profiles state that he has experience treating acute and chronic pain conditions and sports injuries, and that he uses ultrasound and electrodiagnostic studies; as an osteopathic physician, he uses osteopathic manipulation. These approaches are not one-size-fits-all, and their use depends on the individual case. The point of an evaluation is to sort out what is contributing to the problem and what conservative steps make sense first.
Patients comparing care settings may also review the Scripps Affiliated Medical Groups doctor page for Roger Kasendorf. His professional background includes a BS in Nutritional Science from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Doctor of Osteopathy degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency at Nassau University Medical Center, where he served as Chief Resident. He is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2009) and the American Osteopathic Board of Pain Management (2013).
What a Careful Evaluation Looks For
A good evaluation is not just a hunt for a single tight muscle. It considers how the neck moves, how the shoulders and upper back contribute, whether nerve symptoms are present, and how daily demands match current capacity. It also considers what the person has already tried. Rest can be helpful in the short term, but prolonged avoidance of movement often makes the neck feel more fragile. The goal is usually to find a middle path—enough activity to build tolerance, enough variation to reduce repetitive strain, and enough rest to recover.
Professional networking profiles can offer another view of a clinician’s background. The LinkedIn profile for Roger Kasendorf is a public professional page that may help patients understand his training and roles. He has lectured on chronic pain management at professional conferences. This kind of information is context, not a promise of results, and it should support—not replace—a conversation about individual care.
A Practical Screen-Age Routine
A routine does not need to be elaborate. It needs to be repeatable on a busy day. Small changes, done consistently, often matter more than a perfect setup that is too inconvenient to maintain.
Raise the screen so the top is near eye level, and use an external keyboard if needed.
Keep the phone closer to eye level when possible instead of looking down for long periods.
Change position every 30 to 45 minutes, even briefly; stand, walk, or reset the shoulders.
Support the forearms and feet, and adjust the chair so the shoulders do not creep upward.
Build general strength and endurance for the upper back, shoulders, and neck over time.
Pay attention to sleep, stress, and recovery, which influence pain sensitivity.
Stretching can feel good, but it is not the whole answer. A gentle movement break may include shoulder rolls, slow turns of the head, or simply standing and breathing. If a movement consistently increases pain, numbness, or weakness, stop and seek advice from a qualified clinician. Rehabilitation is a process of gradual exposure, not a test of toughness.
His personal website states his philosophy: patients should finish their visit feeling better than when they arrived. The personal website for Roger Kasendorf also says he teaches at osteopathic medical schools and serves as a board examiner. That educational background can be relevant for patients who want to understand their condition and participate in their own recovery, though no website can replace an in-person assessment.
When Symptoms Deserve Attention
Not all neck pain needs urgent care, but some symptoms should not be ignored. Seek prompt medical attention for severe pain after trauma, new weakness or clumsiness in the hands, loss of coordination, changes in bowel or bladder function, or pain that follows a fall or collision. Persistent numbness, tingling, or pain radiating into the arm also deserves evaluation. These symptoms can have different causes, and a clinician can help determine what kind of assessment is appropriate.
Some people prefer to cross-check multiple public listings before choosing a provider. A member profile for Roger Kasendorf on an expert directory is one such listing. It should be read alongside official practice pages and direct communication with the office, especially because directories can lag behind current contact details.
The OPSC website page about Roger Kasendorf provides another professional reference. For hospital affiliation details, the Scripps Mercy Physician Partners profile for Roger Kasendorf is another page patients can review. He practices with Ortho 1 Medical Group in the San Diego area and is affiliated with Scripps. These details are best confirmed directly when scheduling, since locations and availability can change.
The larger point is that neck pain in the screen age is rarely solved by one heroic posture change. It is usually addressed through a combination of awareness, varied positioning, gradual strengthening, recovery, and, when needed, a careful clinical evaluation. The aim is not to sit like a statue. It is to move through the day with enough support, enough variety, and enough capacity to meet the demands of modern life.
