The Pain of Tech Neck

 Do you spend most of the day hunched over staring at the screen of your smartphone or tablet? This could be causing damage to your neck and shoulder joints.

Sarah Beer explains, “Tech Neck", as it is known, refers to the strain in your neck and shoulder muscles that develops as a result from excessively craning your neck down when you are looking at a phone or a portable tablet device.”

“Although many of us will use such devices when we are working throughout the day, there are ways to ensure that they don’t cause too much damage to your spine and neck joints. One key way is to make sure you limit the time you spend on such devices; it is advised that for every 15 - 20 minutes you spend on your device you should take a 3 minute break. This is due to the fact that it is easy for a posture to change when we hold a position for a long period of time, so really try to limit yourselves to periods of 15 - 20 minutes where possible.”

“Making sure you’ve got the right posture can also be crucial. Rather than hunching forward to look at your screen, sit up straight and bring your phone or tablet up to eye level. This will help keep your spine aligned rather than curved and should reduce overall strain on your neck and shoulder muscles. This may feel a little odd at first but it will soon become a natural fit. If you are in an office you may want to think about a tablet or phone holder as this will help to raise your electronic up to your eye line instead of you having to hunch over. This also applies to your computer screen. For most people, the computer screen is located below your natural eye line leaving your head and shoulders to naturally hunch downwards. By raising your computer screen to your eye level you will force yourself to keep your head in a more natural position”

Sarah also advises to do some small stretches to relieve the tension in your upper body. “Bend your neck to the right so that your ear moves closer to your shoulder. Relax and hold for 20 seconds. Return to centre, and then repeat the move to the left. Do a repetition of five. A further exercise is to do a simple chin tuck. Tilt your head down and tuck your chin into your neck. Hold for five seconds, and then look back up. Do a repetition of ten. These exercises will help release any tension that might be created due to excessive strain from hunching over”

Make sure to listen to your body. If you have any aches and pains in your neck, shoulders and upper back, it usually means something is not working properly.

People in Wales are encouraged to stay active this Chiropractic Awareness Week

British Chiropractic Association (BCA) discovers half of people in Wales fail to prevent or manage back pain

This Chiropractic Awareness Week (8^th – 14^th April), the BCA is encouraging people in the Wales to keeping moving, after finding that 40% of people in Wales don’t take any steps to look after their back health.

The findings come from a survey conducted by the BCA, which unearthed that 25% of people in Wales don’t take any action when they experience back or neck pain and 10% wouldn’t seek help from a health professional if they were experiencing these issues.

Chiropractic Awareness Week aims to educate people about the easy ways they can avoid or alleviate back pain, which over of the nation suffers with. Regularly changing posture and remaining seated for no longer than 30 minutes at a time are just a couple of the simple ways to prevent or reduce pressure on the back.

According to the BCA’s survey, when it comes to back and neck pain, they found that people in Wales:

• 40% don’t take any steps to look after their back health
• Only 60% have taken preventative steps to protect themselves from developing back or neck pain
• 80% have experienced back or neck pain
• 10% wouldn’t seek help from a health professional for back pain and,39% would wait a month or longer
• Only 14% would make changes to their daily routine if experiencing back or neck pain
• 28% choose their mattresses bases on price, rather than comfort

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The BCA’s top tips for keeping on top of neck and back pain include:

Keep on moving: Physical activity can be beneficial for managing back pain, however it’s important that if this is of a moderate to high intensity that you warm up and down properly to get your body ready to move! If a previous injury is causing you pain, adapt your exercise or seek some advice. Activities such as swimming, walking or yoga can be less demanding on your body, while keeping you mobile! 

Take a break: When sitting for long periods of time, ensure you stand up and move around every 30 minutes. When at work, also make sure your desk is set up to support a comfortable position. This is different for everyone so if you don’t feel comfortable in your current set up, try altering the height of your chair or screen.

Other things which people can bear in mind include:

Lifting and carrying: Remember to bend from the knees, not the waist when lifting heavy items. Face in the direction of movement and take your time. Hold the object as close to your body as possible, and where you can avoid carrying objects which are too heavy to manage alone, ask for help or use the necessary equipment.

Sleep comfortably: The Sleep Council recommends buying a new mattress at least every 7 years. Mattresses lose their support over time, so if you can feel the springs through your mattress, or the mattress is no longer level, your mattress is no longer providing the support you need. Everyone has different support requirements, so when purchasing your mattress ensure it is supportive for you. If you share a bed and require different mattress types, consider two single mattresses which are designed to be joined together, to ensure you both get the support you need.

Straighten Up!: The BCA has created a programme of three-minute exercises, Straighten Up UK, which can be slotted in to your daily schedule to help prevent back pain by promoting movement, balance, strength and flexibility in the spine.

If you thought strength training was only for young people – or only for men – think again.

Strength training can have fantastic benefits for men and women of all ages, and is actually more important as we get older.

Strength training doesn’t necessary mean lifting huge weights or building big muscles. It can do, if that’s what you’re looking for. But it can also involve using lighter weights for a higher number of repetitions, using weights machines at the gym, going to a strength training exercise class, or just doing bodyweight exercises. This means there’s a type of strength training that can work for everyone. And all can be helpful!

Here are some of the specific benefits you can get from strength training.

1. Keeping your bones strong

We can naturally start to lose bone density from around age 35 onwards. So, as we get into our 50s and beyond, we have an ever-increasing risk of weak bones and osteoporosis – a condition that affects around three million people in the UK1.

Women in particular can see a dramatic drop in bone density at menopause, because they lose the bone-protecting effects of oestrogen. But men are not exempt and can have osteoporosis too.

Weight-bearing exercise and especially strength training can help stop bone loss – and may even increase bone density, even after menopause in women2. This is because the action of muscles pulling on bones stimulates our bones to become stronger.

2. Reducing risk of falls and injury / maintaining independence in old age

We naturally lose muscle mass and strength from our 30s onwards, too.

But why should this be a problem?

Well, we don’t only need good muscle strength to lift heavy things. We also need it to keep our body stable and to avoid falling over or getting injured. Falls can have especially serious consequences in older people, even causing permanent disability. And we need muscle strength to help us move as we want and go about all our daily tasks, whether it’s walking to the shops or getting up from a chair – in other words, being able to look after ourselves.

So, strength training and keeping our muscles strong can help us live long, healthy lives and stay independent into old age.

3. Improving body shape and preventing weight gain

Strength training helps to tone all our muscles and keep us looking fit and healthy. And by maintaining muscle strength, we’re also less likely to gain body fat.

4. Improving testosterone levels in men

Testosterone naturally starts to drop in men from around age 35 to 40, by around 1 to 3 per cent per year3. And by late 40s or early 50s, men can start to experience symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, weight gain (especially on the belly), fatigue, low mood or depression and poor sleep. This is sometimes known as the ‘male menopause’.

Exercise is a key way to help maintain testosterone levels as men get older. But not all exercise is equal! Strength training with heavy weights has been found to boost testosterone levels in men directly after exercise3. On the other hand, endurance-type exercise such as long-distance running or cycling may lower testosterone levels in the long run.

5. Reducing risk of diabetes

Strength training seems has been found to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, too5. This may be because muscle helps the body to take glucose (sugar) out of the blood and store it6. So, good muscle mass means better blood sugar control.

6. Supporting memory and cognition

Strength training and maintaining good muscle mass may help to keep our brain sharp as we get older and even help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

One study on 37 elderly women found that 12 weeks of strength training three times a week improved their cognitive capacity (memory, reasoning, learning, etc.) by 19% compared to a control group that did not do the training.

Do you think your back pain gets worse in winter?

Did you know… Those who suffer with chronic back pain might notice it gets worse during autumn and winter.

In fact… Although there’s not much scientific evidence that shows a link between chronic pain and humidity, temperature changes and wind speed, weather changes can affect those, who suffer with joint pain conditions, especially arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Did you know… The most commonly accepted reasoning is that with colder temperatures comes lower air pressure, that can cause joint tissues to expand—further worsening joints already prone to swelling and tenderness

If cold weather worsens your pain, you can prevent it yourself and combat it with these three simple steps:

1.    Heat therapy

Including heat therapy in your daily routine can help to reduce stiffness and boost healing through increased blood circulation. Try applying a warm towel or a heating pad to your painful area for about 20 minutes for temporary pain relief. You can also go for over-the-counter heat wraps

2.    Water Therapy

If you like swimming, try to visit heated indoor pool with hot baths, Jacuzzis and saunas a few times a week for almost instant relief from your pain

3.    Stay active

As tempting as it is to just stay on the sofa during winter evenings, it is crucial to keep your spine mobile and stay active. If your pain is too severe to go to the gym, try long walks with hiking poles or Pilates at home

Here at The Whitchurch Clinic, we do see an increasing amount of patients with back, neck and shoulder pain during the festive period.  

The most common reason for this is due to carry large heavy bags and poor posture when sitting for long periods of time.  These both add extra strain on the joints, ligaments and muscles in your back and shoulder which can lead to an episode of pain.

We have put together some tips in order to avoid back and shoulder pain this Christmas:

• Wear sensible shoes - to avoid any abnormal stresses through the lower back.
• Avoid carrying heavy bags, including a hand bag - check your hand bag before leaving and only carry the essential items required.  Spread your shopping into different bags to lessen the weight, and try to have an even amount on each side.
• Park Nearby - try to park as close as possible to the shops, to limit the amount of time that you are carrying bags.  Also try to make regular trips back and for of the car to reduce the amount of bags carried at one time.
• Take your time and plan your journey - allow your self plenty of time and make a list of the places you need to visit. This will not only reduce the amount of time that you spend shopping, but will help to reduce down your stress levels.
• Take regular breaks - if shopping on foot, try to take regular breaks on benches etc to give the body a rest and to ease the loads.  If shopping online, take regular breaks every 20-30 minutes away from the computer.  Try to stretch out tired and sore muscles to encourage activation and loosen up the area. 
• Be conscious of your posture - take time to look at your posture when walking or sitting.  If walking try to maintain a neutral pelvis and stand tall.  If you sitting for long periods ensure that you back is fully supported and you are not leaning to one side.  Make sure that you are not slouching or dropping the shoulders forward.
• Breaking it up into stages - avoid doing anything in one go such as shopping, putting up the decorations or cleaning the house.  Try to break them up in stages and get help with heavy items.  Carrying these out in one go can cause the muscles to fatigue and taking awkward movements which can result in you straining the muscles, ligaments or joints and hen resulting in pain.  
• Keep active - Christmas is about of time of relaxing, however keep yourself moving about often.  Try to do 30 minutes of light exercise every day to keep your body supple.

If however the above advice is too late or you are currently in a pain episode, we at The Whitchurch Clinic are here to help.

Our Chiropractors, Andrea and Sarah can help by:

• Soft tissue massage
• Trigger point therapy
• Acupuncture/dry needling
• Spinal manipulation/mobilisation
• Home exercises/stretches
• Ergonomic and postural advice

Other treatments that may be benefit and are available at TWC:

• Hypnotherapy for stress management and help reduce tension
• Deep tissue massage to help release trigger points or provide relaxation
• Diet advice 

As with any new symptoms it is always important to visit your GP or chiropractor to rule out any other disorders before reaching a diagnosis yourself.

A question that frequently comes up in clinic: What mattress do you recommend? Now the British Chiropractic Association have released this video as a guide to help patients on their way to finding a good mattress and sleeping positions.

These illustrations demonstrate how an incorrectly placed pillow can stress the neck.

On your back you need fewer pillows than on your side so if you change from on position to another bare this in mind. We are also all different shapes so the amount of support we need varies from person to person.

If you're a back sleeper I recommend using one pillow, thickness depends on the depth of your natural curves, and pull the lower corners around your lower neck so the pillow is no lower than your shoulders.

For side sleepers, or those who tend to end up in this position, you need plenty of support so try two pillows, again the depth required depends on the width of your shoulders. Ensure you are not at the edge of the pillow and the lower front corner is pulled down to your shoulder and around the cheek. This will prevent you head dropping or rotating which can irritate the neck or lead people to sleep on their front.

Sarah Beer from The Whitchurch Clinic and member of the BCA comments on the findings:

“I think many of us will agree that the increasing numbers of people experiencing back or neck pain each week are concerning, especially given how simple it can be to protect ourselves from some of the most commons triggers".

“Our lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary both at home and at work – with many of us spending more time sitting than ever before, contributing to people in the region experiencing pain more frequently.For the 65% of adults in Wales who are experiencing back or neck pain on a monthly basis, I would urge you to consider incorporating more exercise and general movement into your routine where you can to help combat the effects of sitting still.”

Notes to editors:

This consumer research in 2018 was carried out on behalf of the British Chiropractic Association on between 28/02/18 and 07/03/18 on a sample of 2,066 adults in the UK.

The consumer research in 2013 was carried out on behalf of the British Chiropractic Association between 01/03/2013 and 15/03/2013 on a sample of 2,044 adults in the UK.

Chiropractors are specialists in spine care and chiropractic is a primary contact health profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and management of many conditions that are due to problems with bones, joints, muscles and nerves, particularly those of the spine.

The BCA is the largest and longest established association for chiropractors in the UK. Chiropractic is a statutorily regulated healthcare profession, regulated by the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). Members of the BCA must abide by the GCC’s Code of Conduct and Standard of Proficiency. The association only accepts from an internationally recognised college of chiropractic education.  Chiropractic care offers hands on pain management and focuses on muscles, joints and nerves.  Chiropractic is suitable for all ages and can help with a wide range of problems.

This time of year is a great opportunity to get away, whether for day trips, the weekend, or the start of a longer break.

Unfortunately, many others have the same idea too! If you are facing a long or potentially delayed journey, keep our car travel tips in mind.

• Finally roll your shoulders back and down so they are relaxed against the seat

Make adjustments

• If you share a car, make sure the seat position is adjusted to suit you each time you get in. 
• The back of the seat should be set slightly backwards, so that it feels natural and your elbows should be at a comfortable and relaxed angle for driving.

Steering wheel

• Once you have adjusted your seat correctly, your hands should fall naturally on the steering wheel, with just a slight bend in the arms.
• If the wheel is too high and far away, tension will build up in your shoulders and upper back. If it is too low and close to you, the wheel may be touching your legs, which will reduce your ability to turn it freely, putting strain on the wrists and the muscles of the upper back.

Mirrors

• Your reactions must be quick, so you should not need to move your head a lot. The mirror positions should allow you to see all around the car with the movement of your eyes with minimal head movement.
• Set your mirror positions to suit you before you drive off. 

Seatbelts

• Your seatbelt should always lie across the top of your shoulder and never rub against your neck or fall onto the top of your arm. 
• Depending on your height, you may need to adjust the position at which the seat belt emerges from the body of the car. (If the adjustments available are insufficient, it is possible to purchase clips that help you adjust your seat belt height without impairing safety.)

Footwear

• Once you have adjusted your seat correctly, your feet should fall naturally onto the pedals. You should be able to press the pedals to the floor by mainly moving your ankle and only using your leg a little. 
• Avoid wearing wear high heels, or very thick-soled shoes, as you will have to over-extend the ankle in order to put pressure on the pedals. As well as making it much harder to deal with an emergency stop, this position will raise your thigh from the seat (reducing support to your leg) and create tension (and possibly cramp) in the calf. This, in turn, will impair the blood flow on a long journey.

Relax

• A relaxed driving position reduces stress on the spine, allowing your seat to take your weight.
• Take regular breaks - stop and stretch your legs (and arms!) at least every two hours, more often if possible. You should certainly stop more frequently if you are feeling any discomfort.
• Clench your cheeks - If you are stuck in traffic, exercise in your seat. Try buttock clenches, side bends, seat braces (pushing your hands into the steering wheel and your back into the seat – tensing and relaxing) as well as shoulder shrugs and circles.
• Leave the tight clothes at home - They will restrict your movement.
• It’s all in the timing - Allow plenty of time for journeys to avoid stress.

If I haven't answered all your questions feel free to ask on your next visit! 

With the change of seasons, we find ourselves tackling our gardens ready for summer time.  

Even though gardening is not considered as a sport it is very physical and time consuming, resulting in the body being in the same position for long periods of time. 

Gardening involves a lot of forwarding bending and at times can result in us twisting ourselves into awkward positions.  

These can result in spinal and surrounding structures to be strained and therefore resulting in back pain.

We have put together some helpful tips for you to incorporate into your gardening regime in order to prevent or manage any low back pain you may experience due to gardening. 

Warm up First 

It is a good idea to warm the muscles up first prior to gardening, as you would with any other type of work out.  This could be a brisk 5 minute walk with or without some gentle stretching. Below is a few stretches that will help to loosen the low back ready for gardening. 

If you already suffer with low back pain we would advise that you speak with your Chiropractor or healthcare practitioner in order for them to advise you on what stretches would be most appropriate for you.

Use support aids

Try to use support aids to make you feel more comfortable such as chairs or cushions.  Getting up and down from positions esp up from the ground can be a difficult task so use aids to help you alter your height.  

Ask for help

Do not be afraid to ask family, friends, neighbors etc for help.  If a task is is too much for one person or you are suffering with any discomfort as someone to help or take over.  It is important to understand your own limitations.

Chiropractors specialise in assessing, diagnosing and managing conditions of the spine. They are highly trained in finding the cause of pain in the spine. In the UK they undergo a minimum of four years’ full-time training. Importantly, chiropractors are regulated by law and must work within strict professional and ethical boundaries.

Before starting treatment, a chiropractor will do a full assessment. This will involve taking details about your condition, current health and medical history, and performing a physical examination. Sometimes it may be necessary to refer you for other tests, such as X-rays, MRI scans or blood tests. It is important for your chiropractor to gather as much information about your back pain as possible so that the most precise diagnosis can be made.

Your chiropractor will then explain what is wrong, what can be done and what you can expect from chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractors are best known for manual treatments such as spinal manipulation, where they use their hands to free stiff or restricted joints, or mobilisation, which is the gradual moving of joints.

But they may also use other recommended treatments such as certain types of acupuncture, electrotherapy, stretching exercises and rehabilitation, all of which form part of a chiropractor’s package of care. Your chiropractor may also offer lifestyle advice to help recovery and to prevent repeated episodes of back pain.

If your chiropractor does not think you can be helped by chiropractic treatment, you may be referred back to your GP or to another health professional. Chiropractors do not prescribe medication, so if this is needed, you may be referred back to your GP. As chiropractors support a joined-up approach to care, they may ask if they can send a brief report to your GP.

Many people who suffer long-term back pain benefit from regular, supportive chiropractic care to reduce the risk of recurrent episodes.