Saturday 12th October
Tip 1
Having bad posture can exacerbate neck pain. The habit of staring at our phone, screen or the TV can cause a habit to form where our necks are being ‘pushed’ forward. When we look at an ideal posture, the ears need to be in line with the shoulders. This means we need to pay attention to posture and realise when we are settling into the bad habit of slouching. Throughout the day, focus on tucking your chin in more towards your chest to help maintain an upright posture.
Tip 2
When we have neck pain, the muscles can tighten up as they try to protect the area. To stretch some of the big muscles in your neck and upper back, sit forward into the edge of your chair, so that there is some space between your back and the back of your chair. Hold onto the side of the chair with your left hand and bring your right hand over to the base of your skull on the left side, and gently stretch your neck over to the right, and assist this stretch with a gentle pull from the right hand. Hold here for 30 seconds, relax and repeat on the other side.
Tip 3
While everyone has their personal preference, hot and cold treatment have different benefits (depending on the need). Cold is most effective when it is applied as early as possible after an injury, for example after sudden sharp twist of your back or repetitive bending. There are a few ways that you can ice an injury, such as ice packs, a bag of peas (wrapped in a towel) or wheat bags that can be cooled in the freezer. Cold brings down inflammation and is a good pain distractor. Heat is most effective for long standing injuries, when there is no swelling or inflammation. Heat can be used on stiff, achy muscles or joints. A warm water bottle, heat pad or wheat bag are good options. Heat can be great to loosen off tight musculature and provide some comfort.
