Be Nice to Your NECK!

Modern life can be, at times, a royal pain in the neck…so to speak. We do many things that cause us to have various degrees of neck and shoulder pain – such as sitting for hours in front of a computer, ladies lugging heavy purses on their shoulders, when working out – lifting weights beyond your ability, accidents, lifting too heavy an item overhead, etc. Poor posture and other bad habits gradually lead to unbalanced muscles and/or mechanical problems in the joints of the neck and shoulders. In some cases the pain may be the result of a medical condition. Age is also a factor since as one grows older joints deteriorate. SO…be nice to your NECK:

• • Pay attention to your posture…keep your head centered over your spine.
  • Adjust your computer furniture…your computer monitor should be at eye level and your work surface elbow height. Sit back in your chair so the small of your back is supported. Also, standing up with the computer on a counter is helpful to the stress on the neck and shoulder. Alternate between sitting and standing.
  • Avoid cradling your phone between your ear and shoulder (if you still have that type of phone. However, I have seen people cradle their cell phones.
  • Maintain good posture when driving and walking or running.
  • Examine your sleeping habits…sleeping on the wrong pillow puts excess pressure on your muscles and ligaments and you wake up with a stiff neck.

When exercising – do exercises for your neck and shoulders – such as rolling them backward, and then forward…both shoulders at the same time or individually.The list could go on and on. The old dowager hump doesn’t look so good whether you are young or older. It doesn’t always come from genetics…so don’t say “my grandmother had one…it runs in the family.”

Access your habits and change those that need changing. 

A good neuormuscular massage is one of my remedies. It feels wonderful!

STAYING HEALTHY IS A NEVER ENDING PROJECT!