Many people develop neck and shoulder problems throughout the course of their lives that are completely avoidable. There are certain activities that lead to over worked and tired muscles in the upper part of the body. Many of these activities are related to heavy computer use, and a sedentary lifestyle. As a chiropractor, these days it is not uncommon to see fourteen year old kids coming in to chiropractic offices complaining of chronic neck pain. Neck and back pain in the teenage years is not something that was as prevalant ten years ago. In this article, we will go over three common activities that cause neck and shoulder pain.

Heavy computer use.

For many of us, the use of a computer has become indelibly woven into the fabric of our lives. The heavy and long term use of a computer, whether it's at the workplace or at home, will almost always cause chronic pain in the shoulders and neck. Even if you have the most technologically advanced chair ever made, it is extremely difficult to maintain a proper, upright posture when using a computer for more than an hour. When the body is asked to stay in the same seated position for hours at a time, the postural muscles will inevitably become fatigued, leading to a slouched posture. Adding to this is the fact that your shoulders must roll forward in order to reach the mouse and keyboard. As the shoulders roll forward, the head and neck will follow leading to a tremendous amount of stress exerted on the neck and shoulder joints.

To reduce the amount of strain on muscles and ligaments while using the computer, proper ergonomics are necessary. The most important and easiest modification to make when it comes to your workstation is the height of the monitor. The middle to top part of the monitor should be at about eye level, this will help prevent the head from coming forward into flexion in order to look down at the monitor. Also, the forearms should be parallel to the ground. The knee joint, when bent should make a ninety degree angle between the thigh and the leg.

#2) Driving Too Much

There are some similarities between driving and using a computer. Much like reaching out with your arms to type on a keyboard or control a mouse, reaching out to hold the steering wheel is essentially the same thing. When you reach out to hold the steering wheel, the shoulders will roll forward, bringing the head and neck with them. This will cause an inordinate amount of strain on the neck and shoulder joints. To counteract this, you can use a rolled up towel, or purchase a lumbar support pillow for your seat. This will prevent that forward rolling of the upper back from adversely affecting the lower back, as it tends to do. Also, adjusting the drivers seat so that it is more vertical and closer to the steering wheel can make a big difference.

#3) Sleeping On Your Stomach

The best position to sleep is either on your side, with a pillow between the knees, or on your back providing you have proper support for the neck. If you are a stomach sleeper, beware. The turning of the head that occurs during stomach sleeping can cause a lot of rotational force on the cervical spine. When you are asleep you may not be fully conscious of the strain you are putting on your neck. When the neck is turned or rotated for long periods of time, muscles on one side of the neck will shorten, or contract, while muscles on the other side will lengthen, or stretch. This will lead to a muscle inbalance that may become present even during waking hours. This muscle imbalance will often times lead to chronic tightness or pain on one or both sides or the neck and upper shoulder area. Make every attempt to avoid stomach sleeping. Stomach sleeping can be a tough habit to break, but the habit can definitely be broken over time.

If you want to help get rid of your neck and shoulder pain, or want to prevent it from happening in the future, just remember these three important things. Limit your time on the computer and if you absolutely must be on the computer for long periods of time, make sure to modify your set up so that you put less strain on the shoulder and neck area. When you drive, use a lumbar (low back) support, and adjust the seat so that you are not reaching out for the steering wheel. Finally, avoid sleeping on your stomach. Follow these guidelines and your neck and shoulders will thank you.