We see neck pain and stiffness every single day in the clinic. We have helped hundreds of people get control of what is causing their neck pain.
In today’s society, pretty much everyone spends some of their day in front of a computer. For some of us that is our entire day at work. Technology is great but it hasn’t always been kind to our bodies.
If you think of what we evolved from we were made to move on a regular basis and in reality, that just doesn’t happen anymore. Even as I type this I am static at my laptop – it just isn’t good.
Working on a computer is just one of the daily tasks that could be a culprit in why you are struggling with neck pain and stiffness. Watching tv and sleeping are two other activities that can be real offenders too.
You may think I’m talking rubbish as watching tv and going to sleep is when you relax most and how can they cause neck problems but trust me when I say watching tv for years with your head turned at an angle has been slowly causing the muscles on one side of your neck to become tight and this then stops the joints from moving as they were intended.
Ideally, we should all be sitting right in front of the tv but could you imagine the arguments to get that perfect viewing sit if you come from a large family – chaos!
Let’s go back to sleeping. Ask yourself the following questions –
- How many pillows do you sleep with under your head?
- What position do you sleep in?
- How old is your mattress?
- How firm is your mattress?
These are just some of the questions we ask our clients in clinic to get to the bottom of why they have come to see us for help with their neck problems.
These three activities done once or twice or every once in a while, wouldn’t really cause a problem. The problem arises when these activities are done every day and for long periods of time and done repeatedly.
Pain, stiffness, muscle tension, headaches, arm pain are just a few of the symptoms that can occur from poor positions being adopted on a daily basis.
So, what is the ideal position of the head and neck?
The head is a heavy part of your body on a bendy neck (well if you are not suffering stiffness). The human head weighs 10-11lbs (4.5-5kg).
The ideal position of your head is for your ears to be in line with your shoulders but more often than not your ears will be a lot further forward. What this does is places great strain on your neck muscles and joints and after time they will start to scream out “help me” at you in the form of tension, pain and or stiffness.
Now how to help fix that neck problem before it gets any worse…
I’m now going to give you some tips we give to our clients in our treatment rooms to help you start to get control of your neck pain/stiffness.
A lot of what we look at is WHY you got your neck problems in the first place. Getting rid of the symptoms is the easy bit for us but unless we help you find the cause of why the problem occurred in the first place we will never help you to keep the pain gone once and for all.
Become aware of your neck and head position when watching tv.
Most people will position their tv in one corner of the room. The sofa and armchairs are positioned around it, meaning that usually only one or two people are looking at the tv square on. I know myself I need to move off my sofa at times as my head is turned to the right when watching tv and what a surprise I get right sided neck stiffness from time to time.
If you tv is up on the wall check you are not tipping your head upwards to see it and poking your chin forwards.
For both of these, try tucking your chin down and backwards to get good posture and stretch out the tight muscles at the back of your head and neck.
Computer use
Obviously if using a computer is your work you have to use it. What I advise is to take regular breaks – every 30 mins where possible. Stand up out of your chair, take a walk to the toilet or to go and get a drink. Just get moving to get the blood pumping to your muscles, tip your head forwards do your chin touches your chest (keep your mouth closed), also tip your head left and right to stretch those tense muscles. Also try rolling your shoulders backwards a few times as this will help move those muscles that connect your neck to your shoulders.
If you use a laptop do not use it on your lap sitting on the sofa as this causes a forward head position. Try looking for a laptop stand and go buy yourself a separate keyboard. Your neck and shoulders will thank you for it.
Sleep
Never ever sleep on your front. This is a cardinal sin for causing neck pain as you have to turn your head to breathe resulting in a twisted neck position.
Try sleeping with one pillow. Two to three pillows will cause your neck to be in bad alignment and can often be a cause of waking with your neck stuck in a head tilted position.
If your neck is painful and or stiff first thing in the morning get in the shower under the heat. Muscles like to be warm to move. So, aim that shower head on the sore, stiff area and gently stretch that neck with the exercises mentioned above.
For more ways and advice to ease neck pain, click the link below to collect your free tips report put together by me: http://www.wdcphysiotherapy.co.uk/physiotherapy/neck-pain/
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About Wendy McCloud
Wendy is the founder of The South East’s Leading Specialist Private Physiotherapy Practice for People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, who want to keep healthy and active.
Wendy’s background includes working as an Extended Scope Practitioner Physiotherapist working as part of Mr. Ali Al-Sabti’s Orthopaedic Consultant’s team specialising in Shoulder Pain.
Wendy has treated royalty for Shoulder pain through referrals from her close links with a top Orthopaedic Shoulder Surgeons. More recently Wendy has been the sole choice physiotherapist for all Essex based referrals from London Shoulder surgeon Mr. Matthew Sala.
Wendy worked in National Level Rugby Union for 11 years, working with players who achieved county honours and representative honours for various countries such as England, Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. Wendy resigned from her position as Head Physiotherapist at Southend RFC in June 2011 to open WDC which has become the fastest growing clinic in the South East of England.
WDC is now a large multi-therapist speciality practice in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
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