The Connection Between Posture and Neck Pain

Whether you’re sitting at a desk or running errands, your posture plays a major role in whether you develop neck pain. Each inch that your head shifts forward adds about 10 pounds of pressure to the muscles in your neck and upper back.

Often, the cause is a forward head posture that places the center of mass in front of your shoulders instead of on top of your cervical spine. This leads to the musculature of the posterior neck being forced to contract to counterbalance the weight. Over time, this can cause fatigue and spasm.

Link Between Posture and Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common condition that can be caused by a variety of factors, including poor posture. Maintaining good posture can help prevent and reduce neck pain. At Phenix Health, our online doctors in Australia can provide telehealth consultations and online prescriptions for the management of neck pain.

Neck Pain and Posture

The connection between neck pain and posture is often overlooked, but poor posture can contribute to neck discomfort. Over time, posture can lead to back and neck pain problems that may require a visit to a physical therapist for treatment.

Posture can also lead to muscle tension and strain, which is another common cause of neck pain. If you have poor posture and neck pain, a physical therapist can teach you proper positions to improve your health and well-being.

If you have a job that requires long periods of sitting, consider taking breaks during the day to stretch your neck. Likewise, if you work on the computer for extended periods of time, make sure you adjust your monitor to eye level and avoid tilting your head downward to view the screen.

It’s also important to keep your weight balanced — if you’re overweight or obese, the extra weight can put added pressure on your neck muscles and joints.

A study found that office workers with neck pain had higher sagittal thoracic and cervical postures than those who did not experience neck pain. This was particularly true in the working position.

Moreover, neck pain sufferers had a higher flexion angle in the thoracic spine than their non-pain counterparts. This is thought to be caused by the increased weight on the neck due to poor posture that may progressively change the ligaments, tendons and muscle, which in turn leads to neck pain.

Neck pain is a common condition that can be prevented by maintaining a healthy body weight, exercise and correcting bad posture habits. A physical therapist can teach you how to use good posture, strengthen your neck and back muscles, and reduce stress.

Causes

Understanding the connection between posture and neck pain can help you understand how to improve your body’s alignment. You may be surprised at how much your daily habits can impact your neck and back health.

For example, spending too many hours in a sitting position (leaning over a computer or hunching over a workbench) can cause long-term strain on your neck muscles. This can lead to numbness, weakness or pain that can spread down your arm or into your shoulder.

Similarly, a lack of exercise can make the neck muscles weak and stiff and increase your risk of developing neck pain. Physical therapists can help you correct these posture issues by identifying poor positioning, how to improve your alignment and offering neck-strengthening exercises.

A simple change in your posture can reduce muscle tension and fatigue in the neck, upper back and shoulders. This can help to alleviate tension headaches and neck stiffness that may occur later in the day when you have a long day at work or are tired from exercise.

The best way to prevent neck pain is to take care of yourself and keep your head in a neutral position, with your ears directly above your shoulders, chest open, and the shoulders relaxed back and down. This is known as good head posture, or normal posture.

In contrast, forward head posture (FP) can cause a variety of problems including an increased risk of thoracic kyphosis and more neck myofascial neck pain. In addition, FP can trigger chronic pain syndromes that are difficult to treat and often require medical intervention.

Younger people are less likely to develop FP than older adults, but the correlation between a stooped forward head posture and cervical spine pain is still present. A stooped forward head posture can also be a risk factor for spinal stenosis and arthritis.

Despite the importance of head posture to neck pain, it is often hard to change bad lifestyle habits and avoid prolonged periods in poor postures. Fortunately, you can use a number of things you do daily to help protect your neck and reduce the risk of developing chronic pain, such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep.

Symptoms

Understanding the connection between posture and neck pain is vital if you want to prevent or treat it. This includes making sure you’re doing your job correctly and not slouching while driving or reading.

If you’re not sure whether your posture is causing pain, talk to your doctor about it. He or she can do a thorough physical exam and ask questions about your medical history, your symptoms and how long they’ve been happening.

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the pain. Typically, these drugs target the nerves that are pinched and make numbness and tingling go away.

Your doctor may also refer you to a physical therapist for an assessment of your posture. They can teach you gentle exercises that will strengthen and stretch your muscles.

Good posture is a key to preventing back, shoulder and neck pain. It also promotes healthy circulation and helps maintain a comfortable body temperature, which is essential for optimal health.

Changing your posture regularly, especially when you sit and stand, can help reduce tension in your neck and other supporting muscles. You should try to change your posture at least once an hour, and even more often if you feel like you’re struggling to maintain it.

Sitting for long periods in one position can increase the pressure on your joints and muscle tissue, which can lead to headaches and neck pain. You can avoid this by getting up and moving around a bit every 15 to 30 minutes.

Slouching while reading or watching TV can put pressure on your chest, lungs and stomach, making it more difficult for you to breathe. This can contribute to heartburn, indigestion and other problems.

Standing tall is another way to prevent neck pain. To do this, stand straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart.

It’s also important to exercise your neck daily, gently stretching it in side-to-side and up-and-down motions. It’s best to avoid cradling your cell phone between your shoulder and neck, as this puts extra pressure on your head and can cause strain.

Your doctor can prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, to ease your symptoms. You can also try a heating pad or electric massager for relaxation and soothing relief.

Treatment

Understanding the connection between posture and neck pain can help you take action to prevent or lessen the discomfort. Posture affects the alignment of your head, the muscles that support it, and the ligaments that connect your bones.

Over time, poor posture can cause your neck to become curved and stiff in a position that may be difficult to move or turn your head. This can be a sign of cervical spondylosis, a condition that can lead to chronic neck pain.

This is often accompanied by other symptoms, including headaches, shoulder pain, and neck stiffness. This can be very debilitating and it is best to seek medical attention if you experience severe neck pain.

A physical therapist can evaluate your posture and provide treatment that may include a variety of therapies to correct your neck posture and reduce or eliminate your symptoms. These include stretches and exercises to strengthen your neck muscles, and massage therapy.

In addition to preventing neck pain, good posture can help protect your spine from further damage. You can maintain proper neck posture by not slouching or being hunched over a computer, couch or other object for long periods of time. You can also improve your neck and back health by stretching your muscles throughout the day and using a supportive pillow when you sleep to keep your neck in an appropriate position for resting.

According to researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a significant correlation exists between forward head posture (FHP) and neck pain in older adults, but not in younger people. NIH researchers also found that FHP is significantly higher in adults with neck pain than in asymptomatic adults.

Incorrect posture can result in a number of problems, including muscle spasms, which are sudden contractions of a group of muscles that can be very painful. They usually only last a few hours or days, but they can cause other problems as well, such as difficulty sleeping. The good news is that you can usually relieve these symptoms with gentle stretches and heat. You can try a few of these techniques at home before seeing your doctor to find out if they work for you.

In conclusion, maintaining good posture is important in preventing and reducing neck pain. Poor posture, such as hunching over a computer or phone screen for extended periods of time, can put extra strain on the neck muscles and lead to pain and discomfort.

At Phenix Health, our team of experienced healthcare professionals can provide advice and online prescriptions to help you manage your neck pain and improve your posture. Whether it’s through exercise, stretches, or ergonomic adjustments to your workspace, our online doctors in Australia can provide personalised recommendations to help you feel better. Contact Phenix Health today to learn more about our telehealth services and online prescription clinic.