Shoulder and neck pain. 5 tips for less pain.
- Mar 29
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Did you have to finish an important project on your laptop the day before, or were you stuck on a train for a few hours without being able to move? Now your neck suddenly hurts, and every movement of your neck or shoulder hurts?
Don't worry, the risk of serious illness is low. With simple measures, you can get your tense neck muscles under control again.
Many people experience neck tension several times a year. For some, it's even chronically tense, so even minor problems can cause the problem to "break the camel's back."
In some cases, the pain radiates to the head and can severely impair quality of life in the short term.
If you frequently suffer from shoulder and neck pain, you should consider a few things. Sometimes small changes at work, in bed, or on your beloved sofa can have far-reaching consequences and result in lasting pain relief.
In this article you will learn:
Here are the common traps for muscle tension in the shoulder and neck.
Why am I the one affected by this?
You can do this yourself to reduce discomfort.
Why is an ergonomic workplace important?
Simple immediate measures for tense neck muscles.
1. What are the common causes of muscle tension in the shoulder and neck?
The most common causes of muscle tension in the neck and shoulders are right in front of us: what we do every day, over and over again.
Looking at our mobile phones, answering messages, making phone calls, etc., we usually do the same one-sided processes that tense the same muscle fibers over a long period of time.
At a certain point, the muscle fibers no longer relax and form a hard strand that causes pain.
At work, your screen is always positioned sideways? Do you have to turn to the same side to communicate with others? This requires you to turn your neck, and your muscles are always tensed on one side.
A common "trap" is the daily use of a laptop. While laptops are ideal for completing short tasks in different locations, they are not suitable for longer-term work, as they force us to adopt a forward-facing posture with our upper bodies extended forward.
If you work on your laptop for several hours, you may have noticed a stiff neck the next day.
The smartphone is also a "neck killer." Nowadays, everyone has a smartphone. It makes everyday life easier and allows us to constantly communicate with friends and colleagues.
Quickly checking emails, reading the news, shopping on your phone, etc. We constantly hold our heads forward, which tenses the neck muscles. Anyone who uses a smartphone for several hours a day repeatedly engages the same muscle groups.
2. Why am I the one affected?
Are you wondering why you're affected? Neck pain is a widespread problem these days. It affects thousands of people, or rather, large segments of the population, every day.
Neck pain is best prevented through prevention and behavioral changes.
There are also pitfalls at home. The couch or a beloved armchair you enjoy sitting in can actually be the cause of recurring neck pain.
Try different sitting positions or optimize a headrest so that you can rest your head in a relaxed position so that your neck muscles can rest.
If you suffer from recurring or chronic pain in your cervical spine, it's a good idea to see an orthopedic surgeon. They will examine you and take X-rays or MRI images of your spine.
In any case, you should consult a specialist if you experience numbness in your arms or are no longer able to move your hands as desired. In rare cases, a herniated disc can be the cause of neck pain.
However, a muscular cause of the symptoms is much more common than structural damage to the spine. This can radiate into the shoulder muscles.
The trapezius muscle, the levator scapula muscle and the lateral neck muscles are typical areas for muscle tension because we use them every day and over and over again.
3. You can do this yourself to reduce discomfort.
Those who interrupt monotonous work processes several times a day, move around and do sports can significantly reduce the risk of muscle tension.
Challenge your usual routine! Use a book to replace your phone, or get outside for some fresh air and exercise. Variety reduces the risk of muscle tension by giving your muscles a chance to recover.
Get up, move & stretch!
Plan breaks during any activity to give your muscles time to recover. Roll your shoulders or bend your upper body forward. Can you reach the floor with your fingertips while keeping your legs straight? Stretching several times a day will prevent muscle tension and fascia adhesions.
Endurance sports & Pilates
Jogging and other endurance sports provide the body with oxygen, which also benefits the neck muscles. Try to do 10-20 minutes of endurance exercise every day, or twice a week for an hour. Walking, jogging, or swimming are ideal tension relievers.
Pilates can also help with neck pain. Have a trainer show you exercises that stretch your neck and shoulder muscles and bring your shoulder blades into a deep, tucked-in position against your chest. This can help relieve chronic muscle tension.
Check sleep and lying position
Do you sleep well? Sleep allows our muscles to recover from the stresses of the day. It's important for your health and should therefore receive your attention.
Maintain a restful sleep routine. If you're a side sleeper, a small head/neck pillow may be helpful to help your neck relax while you sleep.
However, the shoulder and neck muscles recover best when lying on your back, straight and stretched out, without a neck pillow, on a mattress that isn't too soft. While this may seem unusual at first, it can be an incredibly effective way to relax the entire musculature over time.
By keeping the entire spine straight, we give our muscles and fascia the opportunity to release tension.
4. That’s why an ergonomic workplace is important.
If your job requires you to work a lot on a computer, pay attention to your posture. Sit upright and position the screen at approximately eye level.
If necessary, use a screen riser or place it on a small stack of books.
Your shoulders should hang down relaxed, and your elbows should be at approximately a 90° angle. Ideally, your shoulder blades should be able to "touch" while working. Working on a laptop makes ergonomic work difficult and frequently results in tense back muscles.
5. Simple immediate measures for tense neck muscles.
In most cases, the cause of shoulder and neck pain is a mixture of incorrect strain, monotonous workloads and high muscle tension due to stress.
Take time for yourself. That sounds easier than it is, of course. But even in a high-intensity workplace with constant tension, there are opportunities to "switch off." Let your mind wander, take a deep breath.
Optionally, autogenic training, meditation, or simple relaxation exercises can help reduce stress in everyday life. This also regularly improves chronic pain syndromes.
Heat helps with acute muscle tension. Take a hot bath or apply a heat patch from the pharmacy to the tense neck area before bed. Heat pads are a good alternative.
Conclusion:
The causes of muscle tension in the neck and shoulders are usually right in front of us.
Common pitfalls include daily laptop use, constant smartphone use, one-sided, monotonous work processes, and poor sitting and lying positions.
Plan short breaks during every activity to give your muscles time to recover. Stretch your neck and back muscles.
Regular exercise, jogging, and other endurance sports help reduce muscle pain. This also benefits the muscles in the neck, which can relieve muscle tension.
An ergonomic workplace is important to prevent the development of neck pain.
Do you have shoulder pain and are unsure what the cause is?
Then make an appointment with our specialist :
Specialist in orthopedics
and trauma surgery,
Sports medicine
