PREVENTING NECK & UPPER BACK PAIN

DR. KEVIN CHRISTIE HEALTH-FIT CORPORATE WELLNESS

EVOLUTION?• The sitting position has lead to a significant increase

in posture related pain syndromes.• 30-40% increase in intra-discal pressure during seated position.

• Sitting is the most common Over-Use Activity• De-Conditioned Syndrome

COMMON NECK CONDITIONS

• Headaches/Migraines• Arm Radicular Symptoms• Muscular Pain• Trigger Points • Vertebral Segmental Dysfunction• Wry Neck/Torticollis • Fibromyalgia

• When should you see a doctor?

COMMON UPPER BACK CONDITIONS

• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome •Mid-Back Pain• Rib-Subluxations• Stiffness• Postural Syndromes• Scoliosis

LOSS OF CURVATURE

•Decrease Range of Motion•Decrease Strength•Muscle Imbalances• Increase Chance of Injury• Increase Disc Pressure•NEUTRAL SPINE IS 16 TIMES STRONGER

Foot-Stability Ankle-Mobility Knee- Stability Hip- Mobility Lumbar (core)-

Stability Thoracic- Mobility Scapular- Stability Shoulder- Mobility

ALTERNATING PATTERN OF MOBILITY & STABILITY

Yellow = Stability

Red = Mobility

THE BOWLING BALL ANALOGY

“TEXT NECK”

THE MOUSE TRAP • Ever wonder why you have neck pain only on the right side

of your neck?

• We call this the “Mouse Trap” because we are seeing many desk workers develop significant trigger point in their Upper Trapezius muscle on the right side of their neck from the constant use of the computer mouse.

• Every time you use the mouse, you are subtly shrugging your shoulder. These muscles on this side are constantly activated and firing over and over again.

• This non-stop use of these muscles causes over-use strain, trigger points and even inflammation in the area. The main muscle groups, especially the Upper Trapezius are affected most. The Upper Trapezius originates from the base of the skull and inserts into the shoulder area.

UPPER CROSSED SYNDROME• Upper Body Muscle Imbalance

• Tight Chest• Tight Posterior Neck Muscles• Weak Mid-Back• Weak Deep Anterior Neck Muscles

• Forward Head Syndrome• How much does your head weigh?• Basic Physics

• Other Related Pain Syndromes• Shoulder Pain• Mid-Back Pain• Breathing Dysfunction

6-PART CORRECTIVE STRATEGY

• Proper Workstation Set-Up• Body Positioning Awareness • Improved Posture• Corrective Exercises • Micro-Breaks • Education Training

THE MONITOR • Make sure that you adjust your monitor and keyboard

accordingly so you can sit down at this level.

• Position your monitor so that the top inch of the visible monitor screen is level with your eyes. If you lean back while working, adjust the monitor lower to accommodate your more typical seated position.

• Position the monitor so that the screen is 90 degrees to your line of vision.

• If you find yourself squinting your eyes or leaning forward in your chair to see the screen, move the monitor closer to you.

• Proper monitor positioning is essential to avoid eye strain. When seated comfortably, the distance to the monitor should be such that you can see the screen clearly without needing to squint or lean forward.

THE MONITOR…CONTINUED

• If you lean forward in your seat, you may experience back or neck pain from this posture.

• Center your monitor at arm’s length and then move the monitor as often as necessary to maintain a comfortable viewing distance.

• Keep your monitor and keyboard centered in front of you, not off to an angle. Your nose and belly button should be in a straight line to the center of the space bar and your screen.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE • There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck.

Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard is in the correct position.

• Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation to your forearms when using your keyboard and mouse. If your wrist is deviating left or right and your middle finger is not in line with the bones of your forearm as you type, you may need a different keyboard. If you rest your palms on the desk while typing, your wrist will be bent back to reach the keyboard, you should have a soft palm-rest to level out the angle.

• There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck. Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard is in the correct position.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE…CONTINUED • Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation to your

forearms when using your keyboard and mouse. If your wrist is deviating left or right and your middle finger is not in line with the bones of your forearm as you type, you may need a different keyboard. If you rest your palms on the desk while typing, your wrist will be bent back to reach the keyboard, you should have a soft palm-rest to level out the angle.

• Your arms and elbows should hang relaxed and close to your body. Your elbows should be bent at about a 90-degree angle. Your mouse should be kept close to your keyboard. If it is on the right side, you might have an excessive external rotation at the elbow and/or shoulder.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE…CONTINUED

• To reduce this stress on the elbow and shoulder, consider moving your mouse to the left side of the keyboard and using your left hand or find a way to move the mouse closer to the space bar on the right. A keyboard with a built-in mouse or without a number pad can alleviate this problem.

• Use a negative (downward) tilt keyboard tray and an adjustable mouse platform to reduce wrist angles and stresses. Lower the feet at the back of your keyboard to remove upward tilting.

• Use a stable work surface and a stable keyboard tray that does not bounce. Organize your desk to keep frequently used items within close proximity to avoid having to reach and strain.

WORKSTATION SELF-ASSESSMENT DIGITAL EVALUATION

WWW.HEALTHFITCORPWELL.COM/SELF-ASSESS

STERNUM UP

Sternum Up- Keeping the sternum up automatically sets the body into good posture and maintains:

a. Neutral Spine: Maintaining good spinal alignment decreases the stress placed on the spine and discs.

b. Hip Hinging: Bending at the hips, and not the low back, decreases the stress placed on the low back and increases strength & power.

SLEEPING POSITIONS

• Do not sleep on your stomach• Side and Back sleeping positions preferred

• Neck Alignment • Pillow Options

THE MICRO-BREAK

CHIN RETRACTIONS

• Place your finger on the front of your chin.• Then draw your chin away from your finger as you pull it in.• This is basically a nodding movement with your head as if

saying `yes' without dropping your head or looking down.• You should feel a gentle pull in the back of your neck as this stretches tight muscles there.• Repetitions: 2 to 3 slowly. Hold: Pause for a second or two when the chin is in. Frequency: Every 20 to 30 min when sitting for extended periods of time.

BREUGGER’S POSTURAL RESET

• Position your body at the edge of a chair, feet pointed outward. • Your weight should be on your legs and your abdomen should be relaxed. Tilt your pelvis

forward, lift your sternum, arch your back, tuck your chin and drop your arms. • Move your hands apart from each other while simultaneously rotating your palms out,

straightening your arms, and pinching your shoulder blades together as your hands backward.• Take a few deep-cleansing breaths. Hold this stretch for several seconds, return to the start

position and repeat 3-6 times, twice per day or as directed. • Alternately, this exercise may be performed standing.

POSTERIOR NECK STRETCHES

• Stretch 1: Upper Trapezius• Rotate head to the left, reach over with right hand and lightly

stretch towards your right. Perform on both sides • Stretch 2: Levator Scapulae

• Look down towards your right shoulder/chest• Reach right hand over to left side of head and lightly stretch.• Perform on both sides

• 3 sets of 20 second holds for both stretches

CHEST/SHOULDER STRETCH

• 2 Different types of chest/shoulder stretches available • Perform 3 sets and hold each set for 20 seconds

MID-BACK MOBILITY

• Lay on your right side and have your arms straight out.• Take your left leg and bend it by flexing your hip.• Rotate your torso and try to reach the ground on the other side of your body.• Make sure to maintain your left knee contacted to the ground. • Repeat on other side.• Perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps based on quality of movement.

THE WALL ANGEL

• Stand against wall, with back flat against the wall • Feet about a foot away from the wall • Without arching your low back slide the arms all the way up and all the way down the wall without losing your posture• Perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions

THE ERGONOMICS ELEARNING CENTER

THE MODERN DESK JOCKEY PODCAST

www.moderndeskjockey.com

Weekly Podcast for the healthy and wellness of the desk worker.

ANY QUESTIONS?

www.healthfitcorpwell.com