• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Marketinia

Marketing Solutions for Moving Forward

  • Home
  • Topics
    • Business
    • Construction
    • Family
    • Fitness
    • Furniture
    • Health
    • Swimming Pool
  • Ask a Question
  • Contact Us

Pain in the Neck? What to Do & What Not to Do

Last updated on December 29, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

neck pain while sitting at deskI’m not going to tell you how to get rid of that pesky neighborhood dog that always barks just as you’re ready to drift off to dreamland or how to find a way to help your 4-year-old daughter stop asking “why” about everything. We’re talking about a literal pain in the neck, here. Like many posture-related problems, the modern M.O. of sitting at a desk and working on a computer all day is often the culprit. An online ergonomic evaluation can help you determine the specific causes of your pain, but you may want to see if the following evaluations help, first.

The all-too-typical posture we assume while sitting at a computer has the head and neck positioned further forward than the rest of the spinal column. When a person regularly assumes this kind of unnatural position, the deep muscles of the neck are weakened. The specific muscle that seems most affected is the longus colli. Chronic neck pain is only one result; cervical disc herniation and shooting pain down the arms can also result.

neck painFortunately, most people can easily strengthen those weak neck muscles caused by a forward-positioned head. For those who have chronically used the “forward head” position over an extended period of time, the neck vertebrae may be too stiff and inflexible to properly exercise. If you think this scenario may apply to you, you’ll want to check with your physician or physical therapist before trying the following Head Holds exercise.

  1. Lie flat on your back, on a table or bed, with your head barely off the surface.
  2. Barely lift your head off the table, tucking your chin (to make a double chin).
  3. Hold as long as possible until you are fatigued, with a target time of about 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat three times daily.

You can view a video of this exercise below.

When you exercise the longus colli, it will tend to regain strength within only 2 to 3 weeks. To start out, you will probably be able to hold the position for only a few seconds, but after repeating it a few times , you may experience immediate results, enabling you to hold the position for twenty to thirty seconds.

Now that you know what to do for a pain in the neck, let me mention something not to do: Do not crack your neck. Many people seem to safely jerk their necks, causing a popping sound, to relieve discomfort. However, this activity can be quite dangerous, since your vertebral artery runs in a small canal along the side of the neck’s vertebrae. When you abruptly rotate the neck, particularly when it’s extended, the stress could jar the vertebral artery loose, causing a rupture. Now, that would be a real pain in the neck!

PhysioDC of Washington, D.C.

Daniel Baumstark and his professional team of physical therapists operate a boutique physical therapy office in downtown Washington, D.C. From athletes to government officials, and from ballerinas to corporate executives, PhysioDC helps people recover, strengthen and return to healthy living. Visit their website at www.PhysioDC.com or call them at 202-223-8500.

Image credits: Top by Francesco Ridolfi/Fotolia; Bottom by Kurhan/Fotolia.

Filed Under: Health

Additional Articles

certified fitness instructor helping man lift chains
Onsite Personal & Group Physical Training – Bel Air, Maryland
girl with father floating on pool water
The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 4
smiling young girl sitting by pool and bushes
The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 3
young child wearing red arm floats to swim
The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 2
young teen girl leaning against pool wall
The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 1
young toddler girl jumping into swimming pool
Benefits of a Swimming Pool for a Healthy Lifestyle

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

four × 2 =



Primary Sidebar

Lyon Financial

Popular Articles

  • How to Keep Track of Your Flash Drive
  • Stretching: Can There Be Too Much of a Good Thing?
  • Benefits of Ambidexterity
  • Should I Use Genuine Mahogany or African Mahogany?
  • Marine Grade Plywood Uses and Facts
  • How Much Is Your Trucking Business Worth?
  • What’s All the Excitement over X10 Home Automation?
  • Product Review of NuCedar Materials
  • Heated Driveway Installation by D'Amico Electric of Westchester, NY
  • Mooresville, NC Septic Pumping & Cleaning
  • The Truth About Recovering from Shoulder Labral Repair Surgery
  • Encourage Healthy Choices by Adding a Pool to Your Backyard
X10 Home Automation

Recent Posts

  • Country Willow – High End Furniture Store in Bedford Hills, NY
  • How to Use Keywords to Increase Traffic to Your Website
  • Ipe Lumber – An Introduction to This Amazing Wood
  • Onsite Personal & Group Physical Training – Bel Air, Maryland
  • The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 4
  • The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 3
  • The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 2
  • The Sun, Your Swimming Pool & Your Skin, Part 1
  • Winterizing Your Swimming Pool, Part 2
  • Winterizing Your Swimming Pool, Part 1
Lyon Financial

Reader Feedback

  • Afton Jackson on Preparing for Your Pool Design Consultation: Additional Steps
  • Zachary Tomlinson on Benefits of a Swimming Pool for a Healthy Lifestyle
  • Alice Carroll on Gymnastics Tips: Back to the Basics with 6 Beginner Moves
  • Alice Carroll on The Vinyl Liner Pool Owner’s Guide to Swimming Pool Repairs
  • Alice Carroll on Concrete Sealer: What You Need to Know, Part 2
  • Alice Carroll on Vinyl Liner Options for Your New Swimming Pool

Copyright © 2023 Sozo Firm Inc · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Sitemap