How To Decrease Neck Pain At Work
Between working in new environments, the stressful changes around us and the likelihood of sitting more during all our virtual meetings, I thought I would talk about how to prevent neck pain while working! This is a common complaint I have been getting from my patients and I have even experienced myself working under new work conditions. I want to tell you more about how you can prevent neck pain throughout your day.
First and foremost- I want to emphasize how STRESS can influence the amount of pain we are feeling. Stress can also lead to a build up of tension in our neck muscles and over time lead to impairments and dysfunction like headaches, limited mobility and decreased ability to focus.
Here are the three ways you can decrease your neck pain at work.
Work on relaxing your shoulder and neck muscles throughout the day.
You probably don’t even realize it as you are caught up in your work that your shoulders are slowly rising up towards your ears, your head is getting closer and closer to your computer screen and you may even be clenching your jaw. Most of the time we don’t even realize we are doing this until we make a conscious effort to relax.
How can you RELAX those muscles that are getting tighter and tighter?
BREATH! I recommend taking 5 deep breaths every hour while you are working to shut down the tension in your muscles and give them a rest. Breathing automatically will decrease neuromuscular tension in your neck and will decrease your pain. It also just feels good!
How to breath- Sit up tall..take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth while trying to bring ribs down towards your hips.
2. Maintain good posture while working.
Having your head directly out in front of you puts 10x more load on your spine and makes your muscles work a lot harder to stabilize your heavy head. In time, this will lead to muscular strains and triggerpoints that can lead to referred pain and decreased function.
Avoid that forward head posture and rounded shoulders while working. Ideally your head should sit right over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips. Your computer screen should be placed so you do not have to look down or up but directly in front of you. Your low back should be supported and slightly extended, not rounded.
3. GET UP AND MOVE
Our bodies are meant to move, not to be sedentary. We usually feel a lot better after a walk, a yoga class or after we have stretched. Our muscles act as pumps that move blood, nutrients and oxygen throughout our body. This makes us feel better! I recommend getting up every hour while at work to go for a short walk or get up and down from your chair 10x like if you were squatting. Alternate between sitting and standing. Invest in a standing desk so you can easily change your position without moving your entire work station. Some of my patients have said just standing most of their day compared to sitting completely got rid of their neck pain!
If you are experiencing neck and shoulder pain and have not had luck with these three tips, call us today to schedule a free phone consultation, free virtual consultation or discovery session! As always, don’t wait until your pain is unbearable! Take control. Take Action, Feel Good!