Written by Shelli Stevenson, PT, DPT
According to a recent study by the American Osteopathic Association, close to one in two Americans say neck pain is part of life, while another 41% believe that pain is part of the standard aging process. Chronic pain is one of the leading causes of disability in America and chronic neck pain is third on that list. You absolutely do not just have to become part of these scary statistics. Neck pain is treatable once you understand that the pain you are experiencing is often only the symptom, while the root problem lies elsewhere. If the surrounding joints and muscles that support the neck are not working properly your neck will pay the price. Keep the supporting cast of body parts moving properly you can fix your neck ache for good!
Our necks are constantly being used during the day to maintain our vision. Necks are highly mobile and have the ability to work in all planes of motion. We can look up and down, turn to the right and left, and tilt our head side to side. For many of us, our neck ends up doing way more work in a day than any other part of our body because of the cultural shift in the way we live in the 21st century. We have become a population that sits for long periods of time, forcing our neck to be the primary moving joint, and placing undue stress on this sensitive area.
We have come up with three quick exercises that can help with the chronic neck pain that you suffer from daily. You can easily incorporate these into your routine to keep your neck joints and muscles working optimally. Avoid becoming a statistic and missing out on the things you love to do as a result or your neck pain. Incorporate these three simple moves and start feeling better today.
