Many of us experience stiffness or neck pain every now and then, usually after an awkward movement or after having slept in an odd position. Neck pain coming from the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments) is very common and is also one of the major causes of headaches.

Follow These 8 Tips to Protect Your Neck from Injury:

1. Avoid Neck Strain from Texting

• Risks: Spending too much time looking down at your mobile device places extra tension on your neck, leading to muscle, joint, and ligament damage, early degeneration, and spinal disc compression.
• Tips: Raise your phone to eye level, minimize texting time, rest your hands and device on a pillow, and take frequent breaks from screen time.

2. Adjust Your Computer Screen to Eye Level

• Risks: Looking down or up at a monitor for long periods can cause neck pain and discomfort due to sustained poor posture.
• Tips: Adjust the monitor so the top of the screen is at eye level. Use books or folders to elevate your screen or connect your laptop to a monitor.

3. Use Headphones and Headsets

• Risks: Tucking the phone between your shoulder and ear compresses one side of your neck, leading to discomfort and potential injury.
• Tips: Use a headset to keep your neck in a neutral position.

4. Practice Good Posture

• Risks: Forward head posture (FHP) puts excessive strain on the joints, ligaments, and discs in your neck, leading to premature degenerative changes.
• Tips: Avoid slouching or head-forward posture. Keep your shoulders in a straight line over your hips and your ears directly over your shoulders.

5. Sleep in a Good Position

• Tips: Try sleeping on your back to allow your spine to relax. If you have neck problems, place a pillow under each arm to support them and take the strain off your neck.

6. Use a Suitable Pillow

• Tips: Your pillow should keep your neck aligned with your body. Avoid pillows that are too thin or too thick, which can force your neck into an uncomfortable position all night. Finding the right pillow may require some trial and error.

7. Exercise and Stretch

• Benefits: Keeping your body strong and flexible helps maintain good posture and correct spinal alignment.
• Tips: Strengthen your upper back and neck through regular exercise and stretching.

8. Drink Plenty of Water

• Benefits: The discs between your vertebrae mainly consist of water. Staying well hydrated maintains their flexibility and proper positioning.
• Risks: Dehydration can lead to joint degeneration and nerve compression, common causes of neck pain.
• Tips: Drink plenty of water daily to keep your discs healthy.

 

 

See also:

• Scoliosis  – What you need to know
• 3 Steps to deal with Back Pain
• Stand up for your Health
• ICE or HEAT

 

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/basics/prevention/con-20028772

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/10-tips-prevent-neck-pain

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/neck-pain/Pages/Introduction.aspx