Neck and shoulder pain is a relatively common ailment with some studies suggesting that up to 60% of the general population will experience neck pain at some point in their lives.
A large number of these incidents can be attributed to posture and work related habits. With people spending more time in front of computers, televisions and games consoles, as well as driving or slouching on the commute to work, the incidence is only likely to increase.
Clearly, improving your sitting and standing posture will have a positive effect on some symptoms, but sometimes this is not as easy as it sounds.
Poor posture will, over time, lead to stretching or lengthening of certain tissues and contraction or shortening of others.
Take the photo opposite as an example, a common sitting posture at a computer. The extensor muscles of the back are going to be held in a lengthened position, stretching them gradually. At the same time the muscles and connective tissue around the chest, sternum and ribs will be compressed, leading to a shortening of the tissues.
Repetition of this positioning will lead to the poor posture becoming a habit and time spent in this position can quickly add up if we take into account our daily activities.
For instance a 1 hour commute, 8 hour working day and 1 hour of television in the evening equates to 11 hours of the day spent in a sitting position. Repeat this 5 days a week for 48 weeks a year and you a looking at roughly 2,600 hours a year spent in the same position.
It is in these situations where merely adapting your posture as and when you remember may not be quite enough. Specific exercises to strengthen the back extensors can aid the symptoms, but this must be combined with release work on the restricted tissues at the front of the body in order for the body to find some level of equilibrium.
If back strength work is carried out alone, the extensors will be fighting against the shortened tissues of the chest and abdomen. Vice versa, if release work is carried out through the front tissues of the body, there may not be the strength in the back extensors to make the most of the new found range.
If you could benefit from advice, or treatment, on neck or shoulder pain, please contact one of the team at Drummond Clinic on 01628 639 532.