People who have desk jobs and/or hobbies involving sitting and looking downward (reading, knitting) will often complain of pain that develops in their neck and shoulders. This pain is often caused because people spend too much time with their head and neck flexed forward, which can put strain on some of the deeper tissues at the neck. People do not just look downward when they are at their desks, but also when reading, eating, brushing teeth and often sustaining a forward position if they sleep on their sides curled into a ball. Pain and “stiffness” in the neck and shoulder areas are such a common thing, however, it is not always best to stretch those muscles out. Underneath the muscles by your shoulders are nerves that branch out from the spinal cord in the center. Nerves do not like to stretch, so if the discomfort you feel is caused by irritation of the underlying neural tissue (which is very common), it could actually prolong or exacerbate the pain. Too often people are maintaining the sensitivity of the nerve by stretching the upper trapezius muscles (tilting the head forward and to one side), and pain persists for weeks or longer. Positions to avoid when you experience this pain would be talking on the telephone with your head tilted, sleeping on your stomach or carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder as they all involve sustain asymmetrical positions of the neck. Often a nice position to help alleviate the “strain” placed on the neck structures by too much looking down is called a neck retraction: keeping your head neutral (do not look up or down), tuck your chin straight backward like you’re making a double chin. This should not be sustained, but repeated ten times in a row frequently throughout your day. This movement should not be painful, but instead should help to settle neck and shoulder area pain.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:01:35 +0000
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