Cure Neck and Upper Back Pain For Good
The Problem – Neck and Upper Back Pain
Have you ever woken up in the morning with a stiff neck and upper back pain and wonder what the cause was? Everyone knows the scenario – you don’t remember straining your neck the day before. All you did was sleep and then woke up with neck pain. The slightest turn of your head one way causes a shooting pain in your neck and down your upper back that can make performing everyday activities difficult, such as working, driving, cooking, playing sports, or simply turning your head.
If you experience neck pain then chances are you have tight upper back and neck muscles. Our computer-controlled world isn’t helping anything either. Activities like working at a keyboard with your shoulders hunched over and your head leaning toward a screen, and people who do repetitive jobs like assembly work can have symptoms of neck and back pain. And, think about how many times a day we are on phones with our shoulders curved inward and head sinking forward. All of these daily habits can contribute to the familiar “twisted neck” feeling.
Many of us treat neck pain with quick and temporary fixes like medications, seeing a chiropractor, massage and applying heat. However, these methods just hide symptoms rather than solve. What if there was a way to cure neck pain for good?
The Study – Curing Neck and Upper Back Pain
Like so many other physical ailments, solving the “twisted neck” starts by fixing the source of the problem. Neck and shoulder pain usually originate from the upper trapezius muscle, which is across the upper back and shoulders, and helps support and move the neck. Research shows that certain exercises aimed to strengthen the upper trapezius, and other neck and upper back muscles, can help stop the persistent bouts of neck pain.
Research from Denmark showed that women with job-related neck pain from computer work or repetitive work-related movements, felt substantial and long-term relief by regularly committing to five particular upper-back strength exercises with a supervised training group for 10 weeks. Another portion of the women in the study performed general fitness workouts, not specifically targeting the upper back and neck, and by comparison, their pain relief was minimal. Still another group of women in the group only received counseling and they showed no improvement in their pain.
The leading researcher, Dr. Lars L. Andersen, of the National Research Centre for Working Environment in Copenhagen, Denmark, showed that specific exercises targeting sore neck and shoulder muscles can bring considerably more pain relief than general exercise and no exercise.
The Solution – 5 Exercises to Cure a Twisted Neck
The 5 training exercises used in the study to target and strengthen the upper back and neck incorporated the use of hand weights. Three times a week the participants worked with guidance of a trainer in a local gym, performing multiple sets of the following exercises: dumbbell shrugs, one-arm row, upright row, reverse fly and lateral raise.
If you ever experience any of the following symptoms, we invite you to start a free 30 day trial at AFC Fitness, work with a personal trainer and put yourself on the path to curing your neck pain for good.
- Inability to bend or rotate the neck
- Difficulty looking up
- Difficulty looking over the shoulder
- Weak arm and shoulder muscles
- Muscle spasms
- Tight muscles
- Headaches
If you would finally like relief from your sore neck or back pain, an AFC Fitness personal trainer will conduct an evaluation of your goals and current fitness level to create a fitness routine for your specific needs. Our fitness centers are located in Bala Cynwyd and Feasterville
The results from the study mentioned in this post are from the journal of the American College of Rheumatology.