Neck pain at work is distracting and, well… painful.
You know that feeling as you sit at your desk on Monday ready to focus and get work done? Then gradually throughout the day you start to slump in your chair and feel those familiar aches coming back that maybe you didn’t notice as much over the weekend. By Wednesday you’re really feeling the pain in your neck and shoulders. By Friday you’re suffering from it. Many people suffer from neck pain from working on computer, keep reading for some tips on how to alleviate
Check out the picture below starting with the left.
First of all, check out how heavy our heads are!
12 pounds of muscle, bone and brain power perched on our spines. The first person is in alignment and likely doesn’t have neck pain. The second two peoples heads are forward. As a result when that gravity pushes us down the distribution of weight is off and causes a lot of strain on their spine and muscles on their back and shoulders. Imagine at their eye level is a poorly placed computer screen and they’ve worked at the same desk for 20 years. You can see how this pattern long term can cause real pain in the neck and shoulders, even moving down the whole back.
It may not feel like it but you CAN ease the discomfort, and not just with an effective massage (although neck pain after a massage is generally significantly reduced!) Lack of awareness starts the pain cycle. Once you become aware of the patterns your body is falling into you can change the habits that are supporting that pattern. Don’t choose to spend the rest of your working life physically miserable. You’re better than that and I don’t want your life outside of work suffering.
Here are a couple tips for setting yourself up for successful posture at your desk to decrease neck pain in the office:
Tip 1. Eye level computer
We adapt to the technologies and how they’re set up, we don’t make them adapt to us (unless we know we can!) and as a result poor habits start to form. Figuring out a proper and comfortable set up for your desk is crucial for long-term neck and back health. Bring it to management if your work station needs major adjusting.
Tip 2. Bigger text
Make the text you’re reading on the screen bigger. If you’re straining to read something your head will start to move closer to the screen and before you know it you’re hunched and slouched forward.
Tip 3. Sit on your sit-bones
Often we mindlessly sit at our computer without thinking about how we’re sitting. Because most furniture isn’t designed for proper alignment often we sit in a posture that curves our lower back leaving us in a C position. This puts strain on the whole spine and makes us reach forward. Next time you sit, imagine your spine and thighs in an L shape. If this is straining after a while, take a quick stretch or walk break. If this is difficult to maintain you may want to seek help in identifying where your muscular imbalance is coming from, which I can help with during a Structural Integration session.
Tip 4. Make it a team effort
Support yourself and your office buddies by taking a picture of what you look like while working at your desk. Don’t pose for the camera! We wanna see you at your natural state while working, then you’ll be able to connect that visual with the exercises and stretches you’ll be doing to help correct that pattern. For you HR professionals out there, this could be a fun health plan incentive!
Neck pain in the office can cause a real disruption in productivity, motivation and even morale. I hope these quick tips help in between massage appointments!