“My neck hurts and I don’t know why” Is a common cry I often hear and there is good reason for this! There are a lot of important, major muscles connected to the neck and if any of these muscles picks up an injury and gets overstressed in any way then it can cause pain and limitations in the neck.
The body is very clever at protecting itself, if it has an area in trouble is will usually tighten or limit movement there to stop more harm; and as the neck is a body part in constant use, then it is very noticeable when we have problems here! In the modern world we are all putting our upper bodies through a lot more strain than they are used to – hunched over desks, poor posture and high stress levels all have an effect and create tension around the shoulders and neck (Which will also often lead to headaches, migraines and more stress).
When you hunch over, the muscles running down your back get overstretched or put into awkward positions. We often find the Rhomboids and the Trapezius are the main culprits, they can get very tense and knotted and lead to shoulder and neck pain. Your head is the most important part of you, the body will do all it can to keep it in the correct position and keep it out of harm’s way, usually by over compensating other areas (as the neck is next in line, if bares a lot of the brunt).
We often find that a client’s back will be twisted, shoulders dropped at different angles, but to the client this will not be noticeable as the head will be level and therefore feel ok and correct.
If you do suffer from any neck pain it is important to look at the areas around it to find a cause and also help find a solution. Massage is hugely beneficial for these areas, whether deep tissue, Swedish massage or sports massage. When knots in the muscles fibres get broken down, stretched correctly and relaxed, they reduce the strain placed on the neck and full, correct movement is returned. Looking after the areas between treatments is very important in helping reduce the risk of injury returning before your next treatment. There are some really simple changes you can make to do this;
Don't stay in one position for too long. It is hard to reverse bad posture but if you get up and move around often then you will avoid getting your neck stuck in an unhealthy position.
Know your limits. Before you try to move that big wardrobe, consider how it might strain your back and neck and ask for help.
Get a good nights sleep. Be mindful of how many pillows you are using as too many can stifle your necks range of motion. You can get some great adjustable pillows to stop this from happening- we recommend the Complete Sleeprrr Pillow!
Never ignore neck pain and think “It’ll sort itself out” or “I’ll get it looked at later” Not booking a treatment as soon as possible when an injury occurs can have terrible long term effects, so call us straight away.
Scott Wilson
Massage Therapist
Comentarios