Introduction:
Neck pain is a common complaint among office workers and professionals who spend long hours sitting at desks, staring at computer screens, and performing repetitive tasks. The discomfort and stiffness can significantly impact productivity, focus, and overall well-being. In this blog, we'll explore the causes of neck pain at work and share practical tips and strategies to alleviate discomfort and prevent future issues, allowing you to thrive in your professional environment pain-free.
Understanding Neck Pain at Work:
Neck pain at work can stem from various factors, including forward head posture, prolonged static positioning, poor ergonomics, repetitive movements, and stress. Spending hours hunched over a keyboard or craning your neck to view a screen can strain the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the neck, leading to stiffness, tension, and discomfort. As physical therapists, we often see desk posture related neck pain and headaches stem from one of two causes: unhappy hypermobile joints at the top or bottom of the cervical spine, or unhappy overused muscles at the base of the skull (suboccipital muscle group) and tops of the shoulders (upper trapezius).
The Rectus Capitis Posterior Minor is highlighted in the diagram above. This is one of our sub-occipital muscles and connects from C1 to the occipital bone of the skull. (Image curtsey. of Essential Anatomy 5 by 3D4Medical)
The joints and muscles become unhappy because they are straining to maintain the prolonged forward head posture. Instead of distributing the load evenly throughout the cervical spine joints, a forward chin protruded posture places the upper cervical spine in extreme extension and the lower cervical spine in extreme flexion. Similarly, to maintain these extreme ranges the upper cervical musculature is overworking as the supporting cervical musculature is in a disadvantageous position and therefore unable to engage and help.
Identifying Common Patterns to Create Forward Head Posture:
General Desk Fatigue: Slouching, leaning forward, and rounding the mid back will nearly always cause the chin to protrude forward as the spine attempts to compensate and keep the eyes up.
Incorrect Ergonomics: Improperly positioned chairs, desks, and computer monitors can contribute to neck strain and discomfort. A high monitor will encourage upper cervical extension to keep the eyes on the screen. As we fatigue this becomes more and more difficult to maintain without slouching.
Prolonged Positioning: See our blog on posture for more details. Generally speaking there is no bad position, but if the body is uncomfortable it will tell you to change positions, if you deny this request the joints in the spine can become irritated maintaining the uncomfortable position and will continue to talk to you louder and louder until you listen.
Repetitive Movements: Performing the same tasks repeatedly without adequate breaks can lead to muscle fatigue and overuse injuries.
Practical Tips for Desk Neck Pain Relief:
Attempt a Neutral Spine Posture: It is impossible to maintain an upright posture indefinitely. However, it is recommended to attempt an upright posture involving a slightly anterior tilted lumbar spine, a stacked thoracic spine, shoulder blades relaxed down and back and a slight upper cervical retraction. This neutral position often decreases stress on the cervical joints, and allows the cervical musculature to work collaboratively to support the head. You will need to take breaks from this position, and that is fine. But when you feel the muscles are ready, resume the position for another block of time as you are able, then continue this pattern throughout your day.
Optimize Ergonomics: Arrange your workstation to promote good ergonomics. Position your computer monitor at eye level, keep your keyboard and mouse within easy reach, and use a headset or speakerphone for phone calls to avoid cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder.
Take Movement Breaks: Incorporate regular breaks into your workday to stretch, move around, and give your neck and shoulders a rest. Set reminders to stand up, walk around, and perform gentle neck and shoulder stretches every hour.
Strengthen the Supportive Muscles: Strengthening the spinal erectors, scapula retractors, cervical retractors and lumbar stabilizers can all contribute to holding a neutral spine more often during your day. If you are able to maintain a neutral spine it is less likely to collapse into rounded shoulders and protruded chin positions. Exercises for these muscles can be found on our YouTube page.
Seeking Professional Help:
If neck pain persists despite self-care measures or is accompanied by other symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness, it's essential to touch base with a physical therapist. We would love to hear from you, please schedule a 15 minute consultation call to tell us about your concerns and learn how we can help.