How To Prevent Neck Pain And Injury

People who spend long time bending their heads doing paper work on their desk usually complain of neck and back pain. Various sitting positions and a forward head posture can strain muscles, spine, and ligaments. They also result to muscle spasms, knots in the neck and back, and tension headaches.

You can relieve the tension headaches by taking pain killers and loosen tensed muscles with simple neck exercises. Neck exercises will keep your neck aligned to support your head and prevent unwanted tension on your neck muscles.

Neck exercises at home

You can do the following neck exercises at home to strengthen your neck, keep it aligned, and avoid neck and back pain caused by bad posture.

• Perform yoga and Pilates techniques by following DVD tutorials. If you have time, enroll in a yoga and Pilates class to directly learn the techniques from an instructor.
• Perform chin tucks by lying on the floor and tucking a rolled towel behind your neck. While keeping your arms on your sides, simultaneously bend your chin and knees towards your check and hold the position for 5 seconds then return to the original position. Repeat the action 10 times.
• Buy a neck pillow which is specially designed to protect your neck when you lie down to watch television or to sleep. It enables you to sleep comfortably on your side and back while maintaining the proper alignment of your neck and spine.

Neck exercises at the office

Hunching your back over your desk puts stress on your back, shoulder and neck muscles. The desk exercises are performed while sitting down and can help you manage stress and relieve tightness of muscles and ligaments.

• Take a deep breath and lift your shoulders high. Hold your breath and position for at least 10 seconds. Exhale and lower your shoulders to their original position. Do 10 sets of this exercise. This will help your neck and spine return to its proper alignment.
• Stretch your arms fully over your head and maintain this position for a minimum of 10 seconds. Without lowering your right hand, lift your left hand higher than the other and hold for 10 seconds before the doing the same action with your right arm. Lower your arms as you inhale deeply. Drop your chin towards your chest and hold position for ten seconds. This will get the kink off the back of your neck.
• Cup your hand over your forehead and using the muscles of your neck, press your head towards your palm for at least 10 seconds then, release. Next, place your left palm to your left temple and press your head against it like you did before. Do the same on your right temple. End the exercise by cupping both hands at the back of your head and push both neck and head backwards. This stretches your back and shoulder, loosens tight muscles and relieves back pain.

If the neck pain cannot be remedied by these neck exercises, it is best to consult a doctor who can decide if you need a Medical Neck Brace to alleviate the pain and correct your posture.

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