I was leaving a blissful session with my massage therapist when she pointed out something unexpected: I was developing an ever-so-slight neck “hump.” Of course, nobody wants to hear that—it sounds unsightly—but it also raised some alarm bells. Recently, an orthopedic spine surgeon told me that he’s seen increasing cases of arthritis in young, healthy individuals, likely due to posture issues caused by constant screen use. Like most desk workers, I spend at least 30 hours a week glued to my laptop or hunched over my phone. But I work out every day and had what I thought was decent posture—enough, I figured, to counteract some of the negative effects. Yet modern life seems to be conspiring against us. Even with regular breaks, prolonged screen time molds our bodies into less-than-ideal shapes—tight hip flexors, rounded shoulders, and a forward head tilt. Determined to address this before it worsened, I found the Chirp Wheel XR, a rolling device for the spine designed to “decompress the spin” and relieve tension. Reversing the Curse I’ve always dabbled in stretching and yoga, but neither ever offered more than mild relief. Maybe with a little more patience and a little more time dedicated to my movement practice, I’d be cured. But not all of us can afford an hour a day dedicated to stretching. So I started using the Chirp Wheel for 10 minutes a day, and I’ve tested multiple sizes (including a 4-inch diameter neck-specific model, and the 10-inch smooth wheel), but the one I keep going back to is the knobby 6-inch “knot kneader.” The device is simple: A wheel, perfectly circular, with a plastic core and firm rubber exterior that feels about as dense as a foam roller. Along the center, there’s a groove where your spine lines up, so you don’t feel pressure on the bony protrusions. (Chirp calls this the “spinal canal”.) Along the edges, there are large circular nodules and smaller ones that dig into knots. The brand claims it mimics a shiatsu massage, which is debatable, but it certainly applies strong pressure. Compared to Chirp’s smooth wheels, which are padded with rubber and are apparently better for general stretching and chest opening, the knobby one delivers a deeper, more intense sensation. It’s effective at hitting pressure points—like a lacrosse ball trigger-point massage, but much easier to use. Hannah Singleton Rolling Process When you’re sitting all day, your spine rounds forward into flexion. The Chirp Wheel encourages spinal extension, a position most people rarely experience unless they actively incorporate yoga poses like cat-cow or the conveniently named “wheel” pose. The key is easing into it—you don’t want to jump into extreme extension too quickly. The first time I used it, I knew that my body was desperate for the help but it would take some time. The 10-inch wheel, marketed as the most gentle experience, was so difficult I could barely hold the position for 30 seconds.