5 Ways to Prevent Neck Pain
1.) Watch your posture: The majority of neck pain episodes are a result of poor posture. One of the main culprits is forward rounding shoulders, especially while on the computer. When it comes to posture, your head will always follow the lead of your shoulders. If you can succeed in keeping your shoulders relaxed and back in your mid-line, your neck will follow suit. When your head creeps forward out of your center of gravity, your neck muscles are forced to support the weight of your head for much longer than they were ever designed for. This prolonged contraction often leads to repetitive strains.
2.) Get up and move: Far too many of us spend excessive hours in sedentary positions on the computer and don’t realize that we’ve settled into these comprising positions until it’s too late. Try to stretch for a minute once every hour. If you are having trouble remembering to take a break, set a reminder on your computer or on your phone. If this doesn’t work, drink more water. The hydration will do you wonders and will force you to get up and take a periodic bathroom break.
3.) Put down your phone: If you spend long periods of time on the phone, consider using your speaker-phone or a hands-free device. Do not clutch your phone between your shoulder and your ear.
4.) Bring your work to eye level: Use a supportive stand to elevate paper-work to eye level and help to prevent forward head carriage. Avoid using laptops on your lap or on a low table. A good rule of thumb is to have the top of the monitor in line with your eyes.
5.) Adjust the seatback in your car: Place the seatback in your car in a position to support your lumbar region, allowing you to sit with your shoulders and neck in a neutral position in your center of gravity. When forced to reach forward for the steering wheel, your neck will adapt an anterior carriage putting increased strain on your neck muscles and causing poor spinal alignment.
As a Cambridge chiropractor I successfully treat many patients on a daily basis at Harvard Square Chiropractic with neck pain. Please contact our Cambridge, MA chiropractic office today for a free consultation.