These days, more of us are living our lives head-forward. Meaning, we use the muscles in the front of our bodies -- arms, shoulders, and chest -- anywhere from 14-16 hours a day. That can result in a lot of issues, particularly when it comes to chronic pain and muscle tension.
Many Canadians spend their days at a desk working at a computer. Extended periods of time in positions like this can actually cause your muscles to shorten in length, pulling your shoulder-blades inward and creating major discomfort. Eventually, this can progress into other more serious conditions like frozen shoulder, compression syndrome, and torticollis.
It's true. Living our lives " head-forward" can create a whole myriad of issues. It's not just problematic for your front muscles, either. Your posterior muscles are also working on overdrive, trying to support your front muscles. That means knots and fascia restrictions eventually form and when everything becomes too tight, muscle tension develop, creating a chain reaction of imbalance across the entire body.
Healing Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain
It seems chronic neck and shoulder pain are becoming far more common place than before. And while taking Tylenol and Extra Strength Advil can help alleviate neck and back pain temporarily, it doesn’t get to the root cause of the problem.
Preventative massage and acupuncture treatments can be helpful, however they're only one part of an effective treatment plan. A regular self-care regimen plays an important role in mitigating the effects of chronic neck and back pain including:
Daily stretches
Daily self massage
Strengthening the injured muscles every second day
Neck and Back Pain: Symptoms and Sources
People suffering with chronic neck and back pain usually feel the discomfort between their shoulder blades, upper tracks, and back of the neck. The source of the problem is usually from tight anterior neck muscles and a tight upper chest. Passive stretching and muscle stripping addresses the hyper tonic chest and neck, creating relief for the posterior muscles on the upper back.
Proper sitting, stretching and posture are all essential to supporting a healthy lifestyle. When you combine that with monthly acupuncture and massage treatments, you can reduce or eliminate a stiff neck or back pain and improve your quality of life overall.
The amount of massage therapy and acupuncture treatments needed will depend on your pain level or the degree of muscle tension in your neck. Combining at-home stretching with healthier habits at work can boost the effectiveness of treatment.