This may be a case where anatomy is destiny.
Your neck not only carries a big ball of weight,
up to 12 pounds (your head); it moves that weight
in six different directions (forward, backward,
left and right rotations and left and right tilting).
It carries more weight than any other body part
- with minimal support in the way of bones, muscles
and ligaments.
"Your neck can't retract to offset the
constant burden of the head. Since it's
always sticking out there, your neck is more
vulnerable to overuse, fatigue, and ultimately
pain." says Richard M. Bacrach D.O. medical
director of the Center for Sports & Osteopathic
Medicine in New York City.
Necks are continuously compensating, according
to Jo Ann Weinrib, D.C. a New your City based
doctor of chiropractic. "Instead of repositioning
our bodies, we just adjust the high mobile neck."
So rather than being primarily used for movement,
the neck muscles also get called on to do support
and antigravity duties. Too much of that
and you get a pain in the neck.
Finally, gender may tip the pain odds against
you. Women may be prone to neck pain because
they generally have less upper body strength,
and so proportionately weaker neck support muscles.
How to change the worst neck habits
You can eliminate most neck pain by changing
your habitual postures and neck movements, Here,
the top offenders:
BAD HABIT Cradling the telephone on your
shoulder. CHANGE This posture keeps muscles
in contraction. After an extended session on
the phone (or accumulated hours of the same
position day after day), muscles can be so tight
that they may spasm long after you've hung up.
Use a headset or a receiver attachment to keep
your neck upright.
BAD HABIT Using your neck, not your eyes,
as you work. CHANGE Bending your head forward
(with chin toward chest) puts strain on the
back of your neck as muscles try to maintain
head position, Instead of hunching your head
and shoulders forward, try using your eyes only,
A reading hoard (which can be inclined 'to angle
papers up) or document holder can help you keep
your neck in line as you read or type.
BAD HABIT Carrying too much on one shoulder;
CHANGE To keep your burden in place, neck and
shoulder muscles raise and tighten; they can
ache hours after you've put your burden down.
Vary your carrying side frequently, and switch
carrying modes-from backpack to shoulder tote
to handheld bag so that different muscles will
be used or the same muscles will he used differently,
BAD HABIT Slouching in your chair.
CHANGE Sitting hunched over not only
rounds your lower back, it also throws off your
neck alignment. When your lower back is properly
supported, good neck posture follows. While
you're sitting, there should be a slight inward
curve of your lower back. To keep that curve,
place a small pillow or a rolled towel just
below the waist.
BAD HABIT Craning your neck whill) driVing.
CHANGE You don't have to' drive to experience
this posture-it's common even if you're a passenger,
check your neck position periodically-your ears
should line up over your shoulders,
The best neck move: RETRACTION
Quick! Check your neck position right now, Chances
are your neck is bent forward. In this position,
the weight of your head is overloading the muscles
in the back of your neck, and your muscles will
tell you about it-loud and clear.
To break this bad habit, you need to practice
chin retraction, a move that will bring your
head and neck into proper alignment with the
rest of your body, easing the load on your neck
muscles. Relax and slide your chin back, parallel
to- the floor. Be careful to move your neck
smoothly and not tuck in chin or look up as
you retract. Think of lining your ears up over
your: shoulders., When the head is pulled back
as far as possible, you are in correct head-neck
alignment, says Andrew A. Fischer, M.D Ph. D
Associate Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation at Mount Sinai School of
Medicine in New York City. Not only does this
move increase your consciousness about proper
positioning, it reduces stress on the neck ligaments
and muscles s do five repetitions four times
a day.
