How to prevent and CURE pain/stiffness/aches in the NECK and upper back, linked to office work on a COMPUTER?
Dec 14, 2022
A question from Stéphane, who was my partner on the MOUVERS Podcast, an entrepreneur and digital content creator who spends a lot of time in front of a computer.
Just like me, Stéphane spends a huge amount of time sitting, often on a chair, in front of a screen for long periods of time, STILL.
These creative activities require the ability to maintain concentration on the task at hand for a long time, which forces the body to adapt to positions that are sometimes harmful in the long term.
Today we're talking about these HARMFUL effects on the neck, shoulders, and upper back, and how to permanently remove them if they're already there.
Very good reading, Mouvers!
Is it possible to avoid the harmful effects on the body of sedentary work, sitting in front of a computer screen?
No matter your level of joint mobility (active flexibility) , ease and body AWARENESS, you will be subjected to and impacted by the constraints linked to modern life!
As I write this article, I am literally sitting in front of my computer typing this content with my little fingers 😉!
Which means I'm also impacted by this part of modern existence : working on a computer, working in front of a screen!
Discomfort, stiffness and minor pain in the shoulders, neck, back, and other areas also affect me sometimes, given the number of hours I spend sitting in front of my computer screen every day...
Do I sometimes adopt bad posture while sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Do I ever feel locked in when sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Do I ever feel physical discomfort sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Do I ever feel my muscles stiffen when sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Do I ever feel pain when sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Does my head sometimes flop forward while sitting in front of my computer screen?
Yes !
Does my neck hurt when I sit in front of my computer screen sometimes?
Yes !
Why am I insisting on this?
Because we must distinguish between an individual's physical condition , their type(s) of physical practice(s) AND the demands of today's world , the real world which undeniably impacts us...
As soon as your job is sedentary, as soon as you spend most of your days sitting in front of a computer screen, this posture causes damage to your body !
No matter your strength level, your endurance level, your mobility level, whether you practice routines and sessions daily,
You won't be able to prevent your body from suffering the damage caused by this prolonged bad posture, which is that of working sitting in front of a computer screen...
This observation also applies to other situations linked to the repercussions of modern life on the human body:
If you spend eight consecutive hours sitting in a car because you are traveling from Paris to Amsterdam, there is no doubt that certain parts of your body will be subject to stiffness, discomfort, or even pain!
What are the health benefits of workout routines for a body that undergoes office work?
When you perform regular mobility routines, preparations and physical training , it allows you to both:
- to improve your range of motion
- and gain body awareness
And it is precisely these two points that allow you to play a great PREVENTIVE role for your body, in situations where it is forced into prolonged immobilization,
As is the case when he has to sit in front of a computer screen...
Indeed, it is this regular work of exploration and solicitation of your physicality which will allow you to be more vigilant in detecting anomalies linked to your prolonged posture in front of the computer!
So, in front of your computer, when you feel discomfort or stiffness in certain parts of your body, you will be more inclined to readjust your posture and therefore reduce the potential damage!
Of course, zero risk does not exist!
Even with targeted routines and sessions “as a preventative measure”, when you work a lot on the computer, therefore sitting and static,
You can't prevent discomfort or pain from occurring!
You have to understand that your body is literally anesthetized when you work long hours in front of your computer screen...
On the other hand…
Repeating and practicing routines and workouts regularly allows your body to become much more impervious,
To make it almost “bulletproof” from a modern professional life which has this tendency to freeze the body!
Thus, a sustained experience with your body in movement (mobility, physical preparation, physical practice), whatever the area of physical activity concerned,
Undeniably impacts your body and mind with resilience , robustness and reflexes that allow your brain to remain ATTENTIVE to the various notifications your body sends it!
When you sit in front of your computer working, your brain will be able to identify in a much shorter time , almost instantly, and with a precision that is also much finer and more detailed,
All the times when certain areas of your body will start to become stiffer, more compressed, or even atrophied!
The experience of the Movement as a whole therefore allows you to develop an increased body awareness which feeds and sharpens your surveillance system,
Your precious system for detecting anomalies in bodily sensations by zones, precisely mapped!
(my body) “Watch out Slim!! Pay attention and correct the situation: your left knee is starting to scream…”
(my mind) “OK! Bent leg changeover done, right is now compressed. Left leg straight, activate!”
(my body) “Now, to loosen up, roll for a few seconds on your right shin…”
You can optimize your body awareness again and again...
Maximize it, to install it sustainably!
Contribute to making it incredibly efficient , precise and visionary too!
Body awareness does not give you the ability to counteract all the repercussions of the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle,
But it can also prove to be a formidable ally in your life experience so that it takes place in optimal conditions!
Your body awareness, the more you sharpen and MAINTAIN it, the more it will allow you a state of permanent alertness which will contribute to making you
Mentally and physically alert, vigilant and adaptable, therefore able to rectify the situation at any time 😉!
A developed body awareness is a kind of GPS that will lead you on the safest and most ecological bodily path for your well-being!
If the subject of the ecology of human life speaks to you, I recommend my podcast episode with Lucas Bourguignon to learn more.
Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS
