Neck Pain
Pain located in the neck is a very common and aggravating medical condition. Often this pain can radiate into shoulders and between shoulder blades. Neck pain can come from a number of disorders or diseases of any structure in the neck. This article is strictly going to discuss the importance of strengthening, importance of upright posture along with education in some basic exercises to get you started and on your way to becoming pain free.
There are 7 vertebrae in the cervical spine. Important structures include discs located between the vertebrae, nerves of the neck and other structures including the muscles.
Below are some answers to questions that may arise throughout this article.
What is considered poor posture?
Forward head, roundness of the shoulders and upper back, back slouched and sitting without equal weight in both hips. Long hours in front of a desk, computer, prolong driving can cause complications, even crossing your legs when seated or wearing a thick billfold in your back pocket can cause not only neck; but back complications.
When your shoulders round forward (slouching), your head automatically follows. Gravity falls and applies pressure directly below the natural curve on your cervical spine causing increased tension on the cervical musculature and surrounding structures. Slouching also creates tightness in the anterior chest due to shoulders drawing forward.
What is scapular musculature?
It is muscles that attach between your shoulder blades.
Weakness of these muscles makes it easy to slouch and way to hard to sit upright for long periods of time.
One of the most common attributes to neck pain is muscle imbalance. The upper trapezius is a very small muscle in comparison to surrounding muscles. It attaches at the nodule at the base of the skull and inserts at the tip of the scapulae. The primary function of this muscle is to elevate the shoulder as in a shoulder shrug. A sign of overuse of these muscles can be stress headaches, muscles spasms in your upper shoulder/neck. Do find your shoulders creeping up to your ears? This happens at times without you knowing. Talking on the phone without using your hands or elevating your shoulder to avoid your purse falling off your shoulders is just a couple of examples.
In most cases, many use the upper trapezius muscle as a primary mover to push, pull, lift etc. This is incorrect. Your upper trap is to assist your mid back or scapular muscles with these movements. This is considered a muscle imbalance, meaning the incorrect activation of a particular muscle group with activity or exertion. So now is the time to start focusing on better posture, stretching out your chest and cervical muscles and begin strengthening your scapular muscles.
*All information is intended for your general knowledge and education only and is not a substitute for direct medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.
