My Neck Hurts. Can’t I Just Stretch?

“My neck hurts, and my shoulders feel so tense. I stretch, but it just does’t go away. Sometimes I even get headaches. What’s happening?”

Ever get neck tension headaches? Ever wonder what makes those happen?

Try this: Sitting down, shake out your shoulders and rest your hands in your lap. Now, raise your shoulders about 1/2 an inch (as if you’re starting to shrug), and hold it. Keep holding. Keep holding. Hold…..Now relax. How did it feel?

I bet it felt better to let go and let the shoulders rest.

Here’s the thing: That little shoulder shrug is a small taste of what could be going on when you’re working on a computer. While this little experiment was short, many of us work long hours at a desk. Can you imagine how the shoulder and neck tension from holding like that can build? Chances are you can! If you’re like the multitude of women with overactive, tired, sore upper trap muscles (the ones we used to create that mini-shrug) you’ve experienced the headaches, shoulder and neck tension, and fatigue created by adopting this posture daily.

So what causes this to happen, and what can we do about it?

Neck tension headaches like the ones that come on after periods of subtle (or not so subtle!) shrugging are often associated with less than ideal posture and body mechanics when working at a desk or computer. In most cases, the working surface is too high for the individual. This means the trapezius muscle (which starts at the neck, fans out across the shoulder, and goes down your upper back), especially the upper trap, has to work hard to hold the arms up so you can type and/or write. The middle and lower part of the trapezius (which help to pull the shoulder blade down) get relatively underused, and this imbalance caused by an overuse of the upper trapezius leads to an increased risk of neck pain and shoulder tension.

In fact, a tense, overused upper trapezius can even come with “knots.” You know what I’m talking about: Areas of built up muscle tension that feel knotty and painful when pressed. If it’s in your shoulder or just to the side of the lower part of your neck, that’s most likely the upper trap. Those knots can be absolute beasts!

So what’s one to do?

Quit work, move to the islands, and never lift your arms to do work again?

YES!

I mean, NO!

Here are a few things you can try today:

First, simply recognizing that this is happening is a huge step! Before, the tension was building and you probably weren’t aware of it. If you were, you weren’t sure why. Now you know! So you can do something about it. Time to act!

Second, please do this work station check: Sit at your desk or table where you usually type. Put your hands up to the keyboard. Is your keyboard at navel level, or is it higher? (If I was betting, I’d go with higher.) I recommend you have it at the same height as your belly button. This might feel low at first, but try it. At this level, you shouldn’t have to hold a shrug to type. Therefore, your upper trapezius should be relatively relaxed when compared with having your desk or table higher. With it lower, you’ll have less tendency to shrug.

Third, if, after adjusting the height of your work station, you’re working and still find your shoulders tensing up, we’ve got to break this habit. Here are a couple of things to put into action: a) Lower your hands into your lap. Sit tall. And circle your shoulders IN REVERSE slowly, 5 times. b) Apply a neck wrap. One that you can heat up in the microwave and has a little weight to it would be excellent. Bonus: Choose one with a calming scent like lavender. Here’s one to try: Lavender and Chamomile Neck Wrap. I recommend you do these two things several times during your work day to reduce current tension and prevent a reoccurrence.

Fourth, add in some stretches. Here’s one: Sit tall, cross your right arm across your body and hold your left shoulder with your right hand. Cross the left arm across and hold the right shoulder with the left hand. Got it? Now gently press your left shoulder down with your right hand as you tilt your head toward to the right, bringing the right ear toward the right shoulder. (Be sure NOT to do the reverse and bring the right shoulder toward the ear!) Hold this for 15-20 seconds as you breathe. Do the other side, and be sure to do this three times on each side.

Finally, remember that NOT addressing this won’t make the problem go away. So recognizing it, adjusting your work station, and acting when you notice the tension starting to build (or being preventive and doing it BEFORE the tension starts!) can help you prevent headaches, improve how your body feels, and allow you to perform your daily activities (and work duties) with greater comfort.

One thing to note: If this is happening with you, you probably need to rebalance your trapezius, neck, shoulder, and back muscles. Posture/alignment work is most likely needed, too. If the upper trapezius is taking over for other muscles, we need to find ways to quieten it down and build up the other underused muscles.

Guess what method of movement and training can be a HUGE help to rebalance, reset, and restore? You got it! PILATES! In Pilates, precision of movement and alignment are principles that are supported in each and every session. In private Pilates sessions, your instructor is able to keep a close eye on your form with movement. You’ve just read that the upper trap likes to work harder while the middle and lower trap get underused…this carries over in exercise, too! Without feedback from a qualified instructor, you could be reinforcing this unwanted movement pattern despite your best efforts to improve.

Pilates training is full of exercises that specifically target the weaker, underused muscles, allowing us to work to increase their activity while simultaneously reducing the overuse of the more problematic, pain inducing upper trapezius. Pilates exercises, along with gentle neck movements and shoulder and neck stretches, will help us start the work of improving muscle firing, strategic strengthening, and shoulder support.

By using a variety of exercises, including ones where you put weight through your arms, ones where you press against resistance, and ones where you control arm movement with alignment as you move your arm freely from a solid, supportive base, you’ll be helping your brain and body to reprogram healthier movements with lasting strength to reduce the likelihood of work-related muscle tension.

Final recommendation: Try each of the steps cited above, and work closely with a qualified Pilates instructor. They can give you direction and feedback as to which exercises and stretches would benefit YOU specifically as well as when your form or alignment need to be tweaked. This feedback is key in helping you re-set and learn healthier, more supportive movement strategies and patterns to prevent pain and reduce muscle tension reoccurrence.

You’ll feel better today and feel healthier in the long run!

To book your neck and shoulder assessment, you can reach Ashley here at the link below: