American Chiropractors Directory and News

Neck pain is common and it’s not hard to understand why when you consider the anatomy of the human body. The neck is made up of a small group of muscles whose primary purpose is to support and hold the head. The head can weigh between 10 and 16 pounds, which is about the same as a bowling-ball.

Imagine holding a ball of bowling all day. It is only natural that your muscles would get tired. Imagine holding the bowling ball slightly above your head and in front of your shoulder. If you tried to maintain that position (which mimics our poor posture when the neck moves ahead of the shoulders), then you would notice a lot of tension in your neck and upper back.

Poor posture is a major cause of neck pain, especially in the age of smartphones, tablets, and computers. When we sit or stand correctly, the ear should align with the center of the shoulder. When the ear moves ahead of the shoulder (such as when you look downward), it puts strain on the muscles and increases stress on the neck and spine.

Poor posture can cause nerve pressure, constricted blood vessels, and disc problems. Slouching can also result in 30% less oxygen intake. This leads to fatigue and poor energy.

Improved posture can relieve neck and back discomfort, and make us look younger. Adopting a posture that is upright can also improve mood and self-esteem. This allows people to better manage stress.

Use a wall or door as a guide to practice good posture. Place your heels and your head back against the wall. All of your ear, shoulder and hip joints, as well as your knee, ankle, and foot, should be aligned. Once you step away, maintain this posture. Your muscles may feel awkward because they have become accustomed with poor posture. However, the more you practice, the more natural this alignment will become.

Here are some more simple solutions for common posture issues that can lead to neck pain.

1. Sleep position. The worst sleeping position for your neck and spine is on your stomach. The best sleeping positions are on your side, with both knees bent. (Some people put a cushion between their knees.) Or on your back, with a cushion under your knees. You should use a pillow to support your neck when you sleep. It is important to keep your head level when lying on your side. The spine should be aligned properly, and the head should not tilt up or down. If you’re lying on your back, the chin should be in neutral position.
2. Slouching. Many people sit in this position because they find it more comfortable. In this position, your muscles are not working as hard but your discs, nerves, and back and neck muscles are. You must correct this by learning to sit up straight and adjusting your posture. Exercises that can help improve your posture include core exercises, back extension exercises, and exercises to strengthen your buttocks/glutes. Bridges, planks and back extensions are all helpful.
3. “Text neck” or Hunched Back. This posture is caused by long periods of sitting at a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. This posture can also be developed by those who spend long periods of time reading, doing quilting or any other work that requires them to look down. This posture can lead to tight chest muscles, weak upper-back muscles and a forward-facing head posture. Stretching the neck and chest muscles daily will help correct this posture. Try these exercises to strengthen your upper back and neck muscles.

• Neck range-of-motion exercises. Slowly rotate your head from left side to right, looking at each shoulder. Do this 10 times each way. Next, tilt your ear towards your left shoulder, and then toward your right shoulder. Do this 10 times, slowly, on each side. You can also slowly rotate your chin towards your armpit in addition to tilting the head toward your shoulder to increase neck stretch. Then, rotate your chin upwards to stretch the front and back of the neck. Then, jut forward your chin and then tuck it backwards (like a turtle). Do this 10 times each way.
• Stretch your chest Stand at an open doorway, and grab the doorframes on both sides. Holding on to the doorframe, lean forward. This will help you stretch your chest muscles.
• Rowing machine exercise with good form. This will strengthen your back muscles as well as the rear shoulder muscles, reducing the hunched-back posture.

Sit up straight, stop slouching, and use the exercises recommended. The more you practice good postural habits, the easier it will be to maintain. This will help you get rid of neck pain.

Pathways to Healing is a holistic chiropractic clinic. Dr. Alyssa uses a variety techniques to help clients achieve optimal health and wellness. These include chiropractic, kinesiology and nutrition, food allergy tests and lifestyle counseling. Pathways to Healing can be found at 1022 Founders Row in Lake Oconee Village in Greensboro. The office can be contacted at 706-454-2040.

Working from home does not have to be a headache in the neck…or the back. More than 2,5 million people in the UK do not work because of health issues. Back and neck pain are on the rise. This could be due to the increasing number of people who work from home. Inactivity and a poorly designed workstation, which are often associated with it, can have a devastating effect on back and neck health.

Here, leading UK osteopath, Mr Michael Fatica, from Back in Shape – the online, rehabilitation program for back health (www.backinshapeprogram.com), discusses his key advice and top tips on how to keep back pain at bay and ensure that your work station is always fit for purpose.

Let’s look at the activity levels first. Many people saw their activity levels drop dramatically as a result of the elimination of daily commutes during the pandemic. It’s true that many people took advantage of the ‘bonus’ time they had gained by not having to commute, but this was not the norm. Many people in society are sedentary and don’t do as much physical exercise as they should to maintain good health.

“Even those who had the best intentions found it difficult to maintain an exercise routine. The loss of a commute and the ability walk around the office has severely reduced their activity levels. Many people who work from home have little motivation to exercise. They must now make a conscious choice to exercise daily, which is not the case for many.

“It is enough to say that this lack of movement over time has a negative impact on people’s health. Movement is vital for back and cervical health, but desk-bound jobs are the worst offenders. De-conditioning can take some time to manifest its effects. This can lead to a loss of muscle strength and a deterioration in posture. Weaknesses can build up “under radar” and only become apparent when an injury occurs.

“When it comes down to the’setup’ of your home office, this can also be lacking. This can have a negative effect on neck and spine health. Before Covid, it was commonplace for companies to invest in their employees’ wellbeing through office ergonomics initiatives. Prioritizing the health of employees by setting up workstations optimally was a priority, but it came at a price.

“Unfortunately, many people who work from home won’t have been able stretch to the same expenses. The kitchen table and chair have replaced the desks of many people, resulting in a major downgrade in ergonomics. In addition to kyphosis due to excessive forward-bending and slipped discs, prolonged poor posture is becoming more common. Neck position and lower back are closely linked. It is therefore reasonable to assume that chronic back and neck problems will increase among ‘home workers.’

“While working at home can be harmful to the back and neck, there are a few easy steps that can be taken to correct what is for many a ‘new’ method of working.

“First, those who spend hours in front a computer should avoid using laptops and instead invest in a second screen or desktop computer. This will give you a fighting stance. This will make your setup more efficient and improve your posture. A good ergonomic chair that supports your back and/or a sit/stand desk can be an investment worth making. These two investments will allow many to continue working at home while improving their quality-of-life.

“Movement is important for back and neck health, as we have already mentioned. It’s important that we all move around every half hour. After a while, this will become a habit. Take a two-to-five minute walk, maintaining good posture, in the garden, the house or anywhere that helps to change biomechanics.

“Crucially I would recommend dedicating some time each week – perhaps three to five days a week – to formalised and constant exercise that involves strengthening muscles. You could do some resistance training using large compound movements. This could include a “hip hinge”, a “squat” and a “split squat”, or if you want to work on your lower body, a “lunge”.

“Finally at the end of the day, the towel stretch is the best thing to do to counteract the eight hours or so spent in front of a computer. This stretch supports the lower back’s natural curve and relieves pressure on the discs and muscle at the same. Roll a bath towel tightly. Lay on your back, knees bent. Engage your core, lift your bottom and lower back gently off the floor. Place the towel in your small of your lowerback. Lower yourself gently onto the bath towel. Feel the support. To dismount, engage the core and keep your spine straight. Roll to the side, but do not lift the bottom. Relax on the towel from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. https://backinshapeprogram.com/2023/03/what-is-the-single-best-stretch-for-back-pain-and-back-health-long-term/

For more detailed information about preventing and managing back pain, please visit www.backinshapeprogram.com, where detailed exercises and routines can also be found.

You probably think of u-shaped donuts wrapped around your neck when you think about travel pillows. This Tempur-Pedic pillow is a smaller version of the brand’s Tempur-Neck pillow.

The contoured cushion fits snugly between your head, shoulders, and neck when you are lying down. The ridged edge supports a neutral posture that follows the natural curve of your cervical spine. Erin Weber, P.T. DBT, previously told mindbodygreen that this neutral position is essential to relieve neck strain at the end a long workday.

The compact pillow is made of the same Tempur-Material as the full-sized pillow. It responds to heat from your body, allowing the material to contour better to you. The foam, which was developed by NASA and perfected by Tempur-Pedic, is not the most environmentally friendly material available. However it offers better temperature regulation than standard foam.

One warning: this pillow is best for side or back sleepers, as the 6-inch raised curve may be too high if you sleep on your stomach.

Authors and Disclosures

Author(s)

Moatasem bellah Elshareif, MD

Director of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the HIV and Gangrene Surgery Centre of Al-Azhar University and Al-Azhar Medical School, Consultant in General and Vascular Surgery and Chief of the Department of Vascular Surgery at Trust Hospitals of the Ministry of Health and Population of Cairo, Egypt

Disclosure: Moatasem Elshareif, MD has disclosed the following financial relationships relevant to his professional activities:

Serve(d as) a director or officer, partner, employee advisor, consultant or trustee of: Ministry of Health and Population