Neck Pain – if I could just change one thing…
With the increases in those working from home now due to Covid-19 I think there will be more cases of neck and shoulder pain. This will be mainly due to working from inadequate sets ups at kitchen tables, bedrooms, or the couch. So in this short video I want to cover off some ideas that are worth bearing in mind as you sit down to start your days work.
When treating clients for neck and shoulder pain who are predominantly desk based for work we find that they way the sit at their desk can be a source of pain. This can even be the case if they are sitting at an ergonomic desk set up. I know that desk set up is a boring topic but I’m afraid I need to speak about it.
If I had to change just one thing about someone’s set up it would be the height of their chair to their desk. Ideally when sitting at your desk you should be able to reach your keyboard with your shoulders FULLY relaxed and with your elbows close to the side of your body. From discussion with clients this seems to be a common problem. The chair can be too low or desk too high. This cause them to raise their shoulders towards their ears just slightly. But doing this for 6-10 hours a day, 5 days a week can lead to a build up of pain in the shoulder and base of the neck. It can also be a contributor to headaches.
The solution – raise your chair up higher if you can. If while working from home you can’t, then see if you can sit on a cushion to raise you up. It may not be perfect, but it can reduce the tension in your neck and shoulders. Have a look at this short video to see this in action.