Chronic Back and Neck Pain Common for Office and Computer Workers

Chronic tension, neck pain, and back pain are common side-effects for many of us who work with computers or in office positions all day. The pain originates when certain muscle groups get over-burdened by this stress and what can be done to alleviate the pain and practice whole spine comfort techniques.

The act of typing, reaching for items above our heads, lifting a child or carrying groceries can all cause stress and 'hunching up' of the muscles in the upper back and neck. This stress causes these mucles to get locked into one position and eliminates the involvement of the other muscles that could offer extra support.

These muscles in our shoulders are constantly jumping in to help whenever we use our upper back or neck muscles. Because of this, their constant contraction inhibits our ability to relax the shoulders enough to stop the chronic upper back and neck pain that accompanies this involuntary muscle behavior.

A position sitting at a desk or over a keyboard all day, will greatly enhance this reaction in the shoulders, causing us to hunch over and create even more stress for this area.

Some ways to alleviate this habit and resulting pressure on the muscles in the neck and upper back are getting a massage, learning how to self-massage the area, taking hot baths, improving your posture (which can be achieved through regular spinal adjustments as well as exercise) and begin to make a routine of doing stretching and strengthening exercises designed to target the upper back and neck areas such as yoga and swimming, combined with in-office stretching periodically.

If you find that you are in constant or recurring pain from chronic back and neck pain associated with computer or office work, contact Cranston chiropractor Dr. Stephen M. Estner at (401) 275-2225