Is Your Work Routine Giving You a Pain in the Neck?
Posted on: 17 January 2023
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As more people than ever work from home, spending long hours in front of a computer, they may often develop aches and pains. In fact, they may encounter certain muscle issues they've never dealt with before and wonder what they can do to relieve the situation. So, if you're complaining about neck pain and associated issues, or even nastier migraines, could this be to do with your home office environment, and what should you do about the situation?
Overlooking the Head and Neck
When it comes to training muscles, many people spend a great deal of time at the gym working on their legs, arms and abs. Yet the muscles in and around the face and head are some of the hardest working muscles in the body and are easily overlooked in any fitness regimen. They can certainly come under increasing pressure when people sit in a static position in front of a monitor and may not have adjusted their workstations correctly.
Overworking Your Muscles
Many different muscles can contribute to a proverbial pain in the neck. For example, the "traps" muscles help extend the neck and may come under unwanted strain when you slouch or lean forward as you struggle to see the screen. There is a constant pull on this muscle group which creates greater tension in the upper back as well as the neck. This will surely result in stiffness and pain, which can accumulate with time and become difficult to deal with.
Adjust Your Workstation
To try and alleviate these issues, adjust your workstation. For example, make sure that the chair is at the correct height, your forearm is square to your body as you interact with the mouse, and your eyes are staring at the top part of the screen.
Stretch Your Muscles
Then, you can stretch out those trapezius muscles by conducting an exercise as you sit in the chair. First, reach as far behind your back with your left hand as you can and then stretch your right arm up so it is level with your head. Next, with your right hand, gently stretch the head towards the right shoulder and hold the position while you breathe deeply. You can repeat this on the other side of the body, and it's a great stretching exercise if you work at any desk or computer.
Ask the Expert
If you find that your aches and pains are significant and may not get any better if you try stretching exercises, you need to consult a physiotherapy service. Get in touch with your local expert for their advice.