Understanding and Preventing Neck and Upper Back Pain for the Desk Worker

1. PREVENTING NECK &
UPPER BACK PAIN
KEVIN CHRISTIE D.C.
HEALTH-FIT CORPORATE WELLNESS

2. EVOLUTION
?
• The sitting position has lead to a
significant increase in posture related
pain syndromes.
• 30-40% increase in intra-discal
pressure during seated position.
• Sitting is the most common Over-Use
Activity
• De-Conditioned Syndrome

3. COMMON NECK
CONDITIONS
• Headaches/Migraines
• Arm Radicular Symptoms
• Muscular Pain
• Trigger Points
• Vertebral Segmental
Dysfunction
• Wry Neck/Torticollis
• Fibromyalgia

4. COMMON UPPER
BACK CONDITIONS
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Mid-Back Pain
• Rib-Spine Articulation
dysfunction
• Stiffness
• Postural Syndromes
• Scoliosis

5. LOSS OF CURVATURE
• Decrease Range of Motion
• Decrease Strength
• Muscle Imbalances
• Increase Chance of Injury
• Increase Disc Pressure
• NEUTRAL SPINE IS EXPONENTIALLY
STRONGER

6.  Foot-Stability
 Ankle-Mobility
 Knee- Stability
 Hip- Mobility
 Lumbar (core)- Stability
 Thoracic- Mobility
 Scapular- Stability
 Shoulder- Mobility
ALTERNATING PATTERN OF MOBILITY &
STABILITY
Yellow = Stability
Red = Mobility

7. THE BOWLING BALL
ANALOGY
• Your head weighs about 10-12
pounds
• Basic Physics shows the further an
object is from the center of gravity,
it weighs more
• If you have forward head posture,
You will increase the weight of your
head
Over your shoulders and cause more
strain
On the neck.

8. “TEXT NECK”

9. AVOID THE MOUSE TRAP
• Ever wonder why you have neck pain only on the right side of your neck?
• We call this the “Mouse Trap” because we are seeing many desk workers develop
significant trigger point in their Upper Trapezius muscle on the right side of their neck
from the constant use of the computer mouse.
• Every time you use the mouse, you are subtly shrugging your shoulder. These muscles on
this side are constantly activated and firing over and over again.
• This non-stop use of these muscles causes over-use strain, trigger points and even
inflammation in the area. The main muscle groups, especially the Upper Trapezius are
affected most. The Upper Trapezius originates from the base of the skull and inserts into
the shoulder area.

10. UPPER CROSSED
SYNDROME
• Upper Body Muscle Imbalance
• Tight Chest
• Tight Posterior Neck Muscles
• Weak Mid-Back
• Weak Deep Anterior Neck Muscles
• Forward Head Syndrome
• How much does your head weigh?
• Basic Physics
• Other Related Pain Syndromes
• Shoulder Pain
• Mid-Back Pain
• Breathing Dysfunction

11. 6-PART
CORRECTIVE
STRATEGY
• Proper Workstation Set-Up
• Body Positioning
Awareness
• Improved Posture
• Corrective Exercises
• Micro-Breaks
• Education Training

12. THE MONITOR
• Make sure that you adjust your monitor and
keyboard accordingly so you can sit down at
this level.
• Position your monitor so that the top inch of
the visible monitor screen is level with your
eyes. If you lean back while working, adjust the
monitor lower to accommodate your more
typical seated position.
• Position the monitor so that the screen is 90
degrees to your line of vision.
• If you find yourself squinting your eyes or
leaning forward in your chair to see the screen,
move the monitor closer to you.
• Proper monitor positioning is essential to avoid
eye strain. When seated comfortably, the

13. THE
MONITOR…CONTINUED
• If you lean forward in your seat, you may
experience back or neck pain from this
posture.
• Center your monitor at arm’s length and
then move the monitor as often as necessary
to maintain a comfortable viewing distance.
• Keep your monitor and keyboard centered in
front of you, not off to an angle. Your nose
and belly button should be in a straight line
to the center of the space bar and your
screen.

14. THE KEYBOARD AND
MOUSE
• There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck.
Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard
is in the correct position.
• Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation to
your forearms when using your keyboard and mouse.
If your wrist is deviating left or right and your middle
finger is not in line with the bones of your forearm as
you type, you may need a different keyboard.
• If you rest your palms on the desk while typing, your
wrist will be bent back to reach the keyboard, you
should have a soft palm-rest to level out the angle.
• There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck.
Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard
is in the correct position.

15. THE KEYBOARD AND
MOUSE…CONTINUED
• Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation
to your forearms when using your keyboard and
mouse. If your wrist is deviating left or right and
your middle finger is not in line with the bones of
your forearm as you type, you may need a
different keyboard. If you rest your palms on the
desk while typing, your wrist will be bent back to
reach the keyboard, you should have a soft palm-
rest to level out the angle.
• Your arms and elbows should hang relaxed and
close to your body. Your elbows should be bent at
about a 90-degree angle. Your mouse should be
kept close to your keyboard. If it is on the right
side, you might have an excessive external

16. THE KEYBOARD AND
MOUSE…CONTINUED
• To reduce this stress on the elbow and shoulder,
consider moving your mouse to the left side of the
keyboard and using your left hand or find a way to
move the mouse closer to the space bar on the
right. A keyboard with a built-in mouse or without a
number pad can alleviate this problem.
• Use a negative (downward) tilt keyboard tray and an
adjustable mouse platform to reduce wrist angles
and stresses. Lower the feet at the back of your
keyboard to remove upward tilting.
• Use a stable work surface and a stable keyboard tray
that does not bounce. Organize your desk to keep
frequently used items within close proximity to

17. STERNUM UP
• Sternum Up- Keeping the sternum up
automatically sets the body into good
posture and maintains:
• Neutral Spine: Maintaining good
spinal alignment decreases the
stress placed on the spine and discs.
• Hip Hinging: Bending at the hips, and
not the low back, decreases the stress
placed on the low back and increases
strength & power.

18. SLEEPING
POSITIONS
• Do not sleep on your
stomach
• Side and Back
sleeping positions
preferred
• Neck Alignment
• Pillow Options

19. THE MICRO-BREAK
• Every 60 Minutes (Minimum)
• One form of micro-breaks.
Any healthy activity counts
• Place at your workstation or
computer desktop screen for
reminder
• A huge key to success for
combatting the negative
effects of sitting

20. CHIN RETRACTIONS
• Place your finger on the front of your chin.
• Then draw your chin away from your finger as
you pull it in.
• This is basically a nodding movement with
your head as if saying `yes' without dropping
your head or looking down.
• You should feel a gentle pull in the back of
your neck as
• this stretches tight muscles there.
• Repetitions: 2 to 3 slowly. Hold: Pause for a
second or two
• when the chin is in. Frequency: Every 20 to
30 min when
• sitting for extended periods of time.

21. BREUGGER’S POSTURAL RESET
• Position your body at the edge of a chair, feet pointed
outward.
• Your weight should be on your legs and your abdomen
should be relaxed. Tilt your pelvis forward, lift your
sternum, arch your back, tuck your chin and drop your
arms.
• Move your hands apart from each other while
simultaneously rotating your palms out, straightening your
arms, and pinching your shoulder blades together as your
hands backward.
• Take a few deep-cleansing breaths. Hold this stretch for
several seconds, return to the start position and repeat 3-6
times, twice per day or as directed.
• Alternately, this exercise may be performed standing.

22. POSTERIOR NECK
STRETCHES
• Stretch 1: Upper Trapezius
• Rotate head to the left, reach over
with right hand and lightly stretch
towards your right. Perform on both
sides
• Stretch 2: Levator Scapulae
• Look down towards your right
shoulder/chest
• Reach right hand over to left side of
head and lightly stretch.
• Perform on both sides
• 3 sets of 20 second holds for both

23. CHEST/SHOULDER
STRETCH
• 2 Different types of chest/shoulder
stretches available
• Perform 3 sets and hold each set for 20
seconds

24. MID-BACK MOBILITY
• Lay on your right side and have your arms straight out.
• Take your left leg and bend it by flexing your hip.
• Rotate your torso and try to reach the ground on the other side of your body.
• Make sure to maintain your left knee contacted to the ground.
• Repeat on other side.
• Perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps based on quality of movement.

25. THE WALL ANGEL
• Stand against wall, with back flat against
the wall
• Feet about a foot away from the wall
• Without arching your low back slide the
arms all
• the way up and all the way down the wall
without
• losing your posture
• Perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions

26. THE MODERN DESK
JOCKEY PODCAST
www.moderndeskjockey.com
Weekly Podcast for the healthy
and wellness of the desk
worker.

27. ANY
QUESTIONS?