Neck pain is a common occurrence in today’s life.  With more and more people sitting at desks and computers there is less movement and more neck pain.

Did you know that having tight / short hamstrings can cause neck pain when sitting?

Yeah…..

Boggles the mind!

So what can you do?

To know what to do, we have to know what is wrong!

Your neck is made up of 7 vertebrae.  These vertebrae hold your skull, brain and head on your body.  They connect through joints, muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues.

Your neck is meant to hold your head directly on top of your body with a slight curve.  Your whole spine should look like an elongated S shape.  With your neck forming the top of the curve.

If these structures are put under more strain than they can handle this can cause neck pain and lead to headaches.

Why do I get neck pain?

There are lots of factors which can contribute to getting neck pain and headaches.

 Here are a few:

• Poor posture

• Prolonged sitting

• Stiff thoracic (chest level spine)

• Tight Pecs (chest muscles)

• Weak Upper trapezius (shoulder muscles)

• Stress

• Jaw clenching

All these factors can contribute to getting neck pain and then lead onto headaches.

Many workplaces now have practices in place which only allow their employees a certain time at the computer or number of keystrokes before giving them a “mini break” and their computer shuts down for 2 minutes to allow them to get off their seat and move.

You can try this yourself by setting an alarm on your phone to go off every 30 mins for a 30 second break. That way you are able to get up and move!

What does it mean when I get a sore neck as the day goes on?

People often wake up without neck pain, then progressively as the day goes on they get sore.  This can even lead to headaches in the afternoon, inability to focus and junk food!

Generally speaking if you wake up without pain, then being in a sleeping position has not aggravated your pain.  

If you are a desk worker, sitting at a computer with poor ergonomics and positioning can build up tension over time in the muscles and joints of your neck causing pain and discomfort.

If you would like some information on correct ergonomics in a desk environment click here.

Want our 3 easy movement HACKS to get rid of your neck pain while sitting?  Download HERE!

If you are a manual worker, in this example lets say brick layer, then repeated postures might be more the factor, or strength to perform these tasks over and over.

If you are not strong enough to pick up the bricks and move them all day then there might be a buildup in muscle strain in your upper traps, causing neck pain.

One brick is light, but now try holding it out for minutes... or hours….  Hard isn’t it?

That’s what we make our muscles do every day.  Hold load that seems easy…. But we do it all day long.

Want to know more about neck pain and what Fieldwork does to help it?

What can I do to stop my neck pain?

Stopping neck pain is all about knowing the causing or contributing factors and finding the solution.

Sounds simple!

Well there’s a bit more to it than that..

First, if you have neck pain, you need to get it assessed.  Remember neck pain can be a result from having tight hamstrings when sitting! So, it is vital to get a complete and thorough assessment from a trained Physiotherapist.

Secondly, identifying the the factors that can be causing or contributing to your neck pain have to be found, and a plan set to address them.

Only by addressing the issues and getting a plan in place to provide the solution will get you to your goal.

Lastly, having a health professional you trust to guide you down the path of recovery is critical, not all neck pain is created equal, your treating health professional must know how to differentiate what type of neck you have and be able to explain what is going on in language you understand.

They need to know what your end goals is also, that way they know when your treatment is finished. Is your end goal to be pain free? Is getting back to a particular activity that you cannot do due to pain? the answer you give will change the treatment plan.

Ready to take a positive step in fixing your neck pain for good? Book in with one our our qualified Physiotherapists by clicking the button below. 

Do you know at Fieldwork we run workshops for you to help you understand and decrease your neck pain, reduce your medication use and get back into living again?  Click the button below for more information about our upcoming workshop.

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