With the current climate more people than ever are working from home and not always in the most suitable environment for example sitting on the sofa whilst on your laptop is one of the most common causes of poor posture. We often don’t have the correct desks or chairs when working from home, and this can cause poor posture leading to pain and discomfort.

We are spending more time seated and due to this we may round our shoulders more when we do our daily activities. This causes the pectoralis minor, located deep in the front of the chest, to get very tight, forcing us into a bad postural position.

Tightness in one area can cause loss of function when muscle fibres stick together causing knots. These areas of dysfunction cause other muscle groups to compensate and over work.

What are the main symptoms of poor posture?

• Pain, tightness or discomfort when moving your head.
• Muscle spasms in the neck.
• Pain or discomfort in your upper back and neck.
• Headaches.
• Pain can worsen holding the head in certain positions for long periods.
• You may also get pain in the front of the shoulder that could travel down the inner arm, inside the elbow and into the wrist and hand.

Advice and Treatment

Here are some steps you could take whilst working at home:

• Listen to your body. You should never feel discomfort or pain. Try making some adjustments to your sitting position.
• Raise your computer to eye level.
• Get up and move at least every 30 minutes.
• Take breaks to stretch and help loosen tight muscles.
• Be aware of posture, after 15 minutes most people slouch so remember to readjust your position. 

How can the Back and Body Clinic help?

Our team are highly trained and by asking specific questions and conducting a postural assessment we will help identify the cause of your discomfort, as this can vary.

We will use a variety of techniques to address the problem, including massage, which will help relax your muscles and increase range of movement. This works by increasing the temperature and blood flow to restricted muscle tissues so we can loosen and stretch out these muscles.

Massage is a great preventative therapy. Having relaxed muscles helps you maintain good posture and better alignment. We will also show you how to stretch so that you can help prevent pain and discomfort and improve your posture on a daily basis.

If you are suffering with tightness in your neck and shoulders please give us a call today so we can get you booked in with one of our fantastic therapists and get you back to feeling tip top!