A stiff neck and pain radiating from my shoulders are one of the plagues of desk civilization. Sometimes the reason is e.g. degenerative changes in the vertebrae, but more often it is laziness.

Strained muscles of the spine, followed by their contracture and inflammation causing back pain, are usually caused by sitting for too long in a non-ergonomic position, e.g. at a desk or in front of the TV. Be careful - this is the beginning of the spine disease.

If a person remains in a non-ergonomic position for too long, e.g. when sitting at a desk or in front of a TV set, the muscle tension balance is disturbed, the muscles contract, and, as a result, inflammation causes pain.

The cause may be prolonged stress …

In times of strong mental tension, we unconsciously pull up the shoulders and this causes the neck to tighten. The shoulder muscles are attached to the cervical segment. The tension between the cervical spine increases, the space between the intervertebral discs is reduced and the risk of pinching the nerves increases. In addition, tightly tense muscles become less plastic, they lose not only mobility, but also their efficiency.

Physical activity protects against pain

Regular exercise improves tissue blood supply and maintains the flexibility of muscles and ligaments. You should start with an activity that allows you to learn about the limits of what the body can do. Yoga is great because it is based on coordination and stabilization exercises as well as making it more flexible. Pilates is similar. By the way, it is worth debunking the myth that swimming, the so-called the exposed frog is harmful to the nape of the neck. In motion, we need both flexion and extension. The point is only that the activity performed should not cause discomfort. If swimming in one of the pools with the "periscope" frog does not cause neck pain, we can swim a second time. But when the neck starts to ache, it's worth just changing your position and swimming your back.

Spine pain prevention

1. Keep your head above your shoulders. The head weighs about 8 kg and is crowned with a long lever, which is the spine. If we hold this heavy ball in the axis of the spine, we need the least force to keep the entire structure vertical. When we move the head forward and stay in this position for a long time, the tension increases, the blood supply decreases and pain occurs.

2. Wear yourselfhigh up, slightly tuck your chin in as you pull yourself up. The position of other parts of the body can affect ailments in the neck, e.g. a bent pelvis, humping in the thoracic area. Our grandmothers' exercise of carrying a book on their head is very useful. Stand in front of the mirror, correct your posture, put the book on your head and walk for a while.

3. Change position. Make sure not to stay in the same position for too long. If we feel uncomfortable, it is a signal to change this position. After sitting for a long time at the computer with your head bowed, you should sit in a high chair and rest your head on the backrest, lean back or lie down on the bed.

This will be useful to you

Massage and bath to relax tense muscles

The most effective massage will certainly be done by a masseur, but a hand-made shoulder or neck massage will also help. Kneading, massaging and pressing on sore, tense places will bring relief and relaxation.

Instead of or after a massage, you can take a bath - warm water with the addition of essential oils will relax your body.

Exercises for tense muscles

- stretching the muscles. To stretch the abdominal muscles, we do maximum backward bend. While stretching the loins, we make forward bends. By stretching the side, we bend the body in the opposite direction.

- strengthening antagonists. In order to stretch the contracted biceps, we strengthen the triceps. The abdominal muscles will stretch by strengthening the lumbar muscles.

Category:

Anatomy