How do you recognize neck pain caused by poor posture?

Neck pain from poor posture can be recognised by stiffness in the neck, pain that radiates to your shoulders and head, and a feeling of tension in your neck muscles. These complaints often develop gradually from prolonged computer work, smartphone use or poor sleeping posture. You can improve a lot yourself by setting up your workplace ergonomically and regularly checking your posture.

What signs indicate neck pain from poor posture?

Neck pain from poor posture usually begins with a tight and tense feeling in your neck muscles. You notice that you find it harder to turn or tilt your head, especially in the morning after getting up or after long periods in the same position.

The pain often radiates to different parts of your body. Your shoulders feel heavy and tense, and you may get headaches that start in your neck and pull towards your forehead. Some people also experience tingling in their arms or hands.

Other warning signs are:

• Pain that gets worse during computer work
• Stiffness that is worst in the morning
• A feeling as if your neck is “rusted up”
• Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position
• Headaches that start in your neck

The complaints usually develop gradually over days or weeks. You notice that certain movements become painful and that you unconsciously hold your head in a certain position to avoid pain.

What are the most common causes of neck pain from posture?

Prolonged computer work is the biggest culprit of neck pain in our time. Your head often hangs forward, your shoulders sag and your neck makes an unnatural curve. This causes overload of the neck muscles and joints.

Smartphone use, also called “tech neck”, causes similar problems. You look down at your phone for hours a day, putting your neck in an extreme forward position. This can put up to 27 kilos of extra pressure on your cervical vertebrae.

Your sleeping position also plays a major role. Sleeping on your stomach turns your head into an unnatural position. Too many or too few pillows cause your neck to lie at the wrong angle all night.

Other common causes:

• Stress, causing you to unconsciously raise your shoulders
• Driving with an incorrectly adjusted headrest
• Reading in bed with your head at an odd angle
• Weak neck muscles from too little movement
• An incorrectly set up workplace

How can you check and improve your posture yourself?

You can easily check your posture by standing sideways in front of a mirror. With good posture, your ear lies directly above your shoulder. If your head hangs forward, then you have a “forward head posture” that can cause neck pain.

Another test is the “wall test”: stand with your back against a wall. Your head should touch the wall without you having to pull your chin in. If you have to make an effort to get your head against the wall, then your head is too far forward.

Practical tips for improvement:

• Place your computer screen at eye level
• Use a document holder next to your screen
• Set a timer every 30 minutes to check your posture
• Choose an ergonomic office chair with good neck support
• Sleep on your back or side with one firm pillow

Simple exercises that help:

• Chin retractions: pull your chin back as if making a double chin
• Neck stretches: slowly turn your head from left to right
• Shoulder blade squeezes: squeeze your shoulder blades together for 5 seconds

When should you seek professional help for neck pain?

Seek professional help if your neck pain persists for longer than a week, despite rest and self-care, especially when the pain gets worse or radiates to your arms with tingling or numbness.

There are some alarm signals where you should seek help immediately. Severe headache combined with neck stiffness may indicate a serious condition. Also fever together with neck pain is a reason to seek medical help quickly.

Other signals for professional help:

• Pain after an accident or fall
• Radiating pain to your arms with weakness
• Tingling or numbness in your hands
• Neck pain that keeps you awake at night
• No improvement after two weeks of self-care
• Recurring episodes of neck pain

Don’t wait too long to seek help. Early treatment prevents acute neck pain from becoming chronic. A professional can determine the cause and draw up a treatment plan that suits your situation.

How Ruggensteun helps with treating neck pain

We approach neck pain holistically by not only treating the symptoms, but also addressing the underlying causes. Our team of specialised chiropractors understands that neck complaints are often related to your entire posture and nervous system.

Our approach to neck pain includes:

• Thorough analysis of your posture and movement patterns
• Targeted chiropractic treatments for spinal alignment
• Dry needling techniques for tense neck muscles
• CFR (Cranial Facial Release) treatments when necessary
• Personal advice for ergonomic workplace setup
• Exercise programmes to strengthen your neck muscles

We work with you to restore communication between your nervous system and muscles. This not only helps relieve your current complaints, but also prevents neck pain from returning.

You can contact us directly, without referral from your GP. We have locations in Eindhoven and Valkenswaard with free parking facilities. For acute neck complaints we make time quickly available in our schedule.

Would you like to know more about our neck pain treatments or do you have questions? Contact us for a personal consultation about your complaints.