Why Your Posture Problems Are Literally a Pain in the Neck

With 43% of American adults suffering from neck pain at any given time, it’s safe to say most of us will wake up with it at some point. 

Posture problems contribute to neck pain. With much of the population addicted to their mobile devices and an increasing number of people working from home at their kitchen tables since the pandemic, it’s not surprising that there has also been an increase in neck and back pain.

At Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texas, our team is skilled at determining the cause of your neck pain and can provide solutions to help relieve it.

How your posture can cause neck pain

Poor posture strains muscles and ligaments responsible for supporting your neck. Head-and-shoulders-forward posture is the most common form of poor posture that causes neck pain; it’s the posture many people use when viewing mobile devices and computer screens.

Take notice if you experience discomfort or pain when using your devices or computer and improve your posture.

Tips to improve posture and relieve neck pain

Make sure your workstation is ergonomic if you spend many hours at a desk or on a computer. The following tips help reduce neck pain caused by posture problems:

• Sit so your eyes are level with the top third of your screen
• Reduce stress on your shoulders with armrests
• Sit with your knees at a 90-degree angle and feet touching the floor
• Position your keyboard at the same height as your elbow, with wrists slightly bent
• Don’t cradle your phone against your shoulder — use a headset or earbuds
• Instead of looking down at documents, use a document holder next to your monitor

If your feet don’t touch the floor when sitting, use a footrest that keeps your knees in the 90-degree angle and provides about two inches of space between the seat and your knees.

Set an alarm on your computer or phone and try to get up every 30 minutes to walk, stretch, or even just stand to help improve posture and relieve tired muscles.

Other causes of neck pain

While poor posture is the cause of many people’s neck pain, there are several other possible causes of neck and back pain, including:

• Pinched nerves
• Disc injuries
• Arthritis
• Sports injuries
• Spinal stenosis
• Automobile accident injuries
• Fibromyalgia
• Muscle and ligament injuries

If your at-home treatment methods don’t relieve your neck pain, visit us at Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas for diagnosis and treatment.

Don’t ignore your neck pain

The experienced and compassionate team at Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas offer drug-free pain management options in their Fort Worth, Arlington, Waco, and Wichita Falls, Texas offices. Schedule an appointment online or call the practice today.