Now, more than ever, patients are coming in with really tight shoulders and neck pain many times acompanied by headaches. if you are working from home and would like relief from shoulder and neck pain then keep reading. A little while go, I did a short blog with an exercise video to help relieve upper trapezius muscle stress. Well that stretch combined with the stretch we are talking about in this blog, will work wonders to give you shoulder and neck pain relief, as well as possibly releiving headaches and lower back pain.
Is your upper body pain due to your work position?
But before we get to the stretch, firstly, assess your work space position. Are you still working from home in the least appropriate set up, thinking it would only be for a while? However, a year on and no real change in sight in the near future. May be it’s time to assess your work station positioning. Recently, I posted a diagram of the best seating/desk and computer setup on Coast Facebook page. it may help you optimise your home set-up.
The Door Knob Stretch
I am not sure where I got this stretch from. Possibly I made it up in desparation one day when my upper back and shoulders were really tight and I had no one to treat me. I call it the Door Knob stretch and have probably demonstrated it to many of you already at the clinic.
All you need is something like a door knob or banister etc that you can hold on to. Your feet are fairly close to the door. Your elbows are soft. Drop your head forward and let your arms take your weight. Let your chest soften as your shoulder blades separate, being sure to keep your tail bone tucked under. Just stay with it (at least 20 seconds plus), taking some deep breaths into the lower ribs/back area and you will find that your body will slowly allow your muscles to lengthen. You may feel the stretch from the base of your skull, neck and shoulder muscles, possibly for some, all the way down to the lower lumbar spine. This stretch involves many muscles but mainly the lower trapezius and rhombiod muscles.
No need to continue suffering
If you are working from home and are completely fed up with continuely suffering from neck and shoulder pain, then give this stretch ago and let me know how you get on. Ofcourse, combining this stretch with some body work(1) is always going to be more effective. So give me a call on 01273 321133 if you would like to receive treatment as well as an exercise plan specificaly outlined for you.
Many of you will recognise Jeanette Mahony who is kindly demonstrating the Door Knob stretch in the following video. For those of you that don’t, Jeanette is a great massage therapist who used to work with me at the old Coast Clinic on Church Road. I can highly recommend her if you are looking for a really good massage therapist, therefore I have left her details below the video.
DEEP TISSUE & REMEDIAL MASSAGE
Jeanette Mahoney ( BTEC Higher Sports & Remedial Massage Diploma)
Whether you’ve been sitting at a computer all day, exercising, gardening, over-working, recovering from an injury, generally feeling stressed out with life – Deep-tissue/remedial massage helps to:
- reduce muscle tension & pain / increase joint mobility (2)
- relieve stress & anxiety / improve general well-being (2)
Each treatment is tailored to your own specific needs / Gift vouchers available
To book please text/phone: Jeanette 07932-568566
Home practice: Flat 7, 41 Tisbury Rd , Hove BN3 3BL
Written by Anne French Chiropractor and Functional Medicine Practitioner
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