Neck Pain Treatment in Lincoln NE for Long Desk Days
Photo: Jason Strull on Unsplash
It's 3 PM on a Tuesday in late October. The sun is already sliding toward the west side of town, you haven't left your chair since lunch, and the back of your neck feels tight. If that sounds like your workday, this guide is for you.
The short answer: most desk neck pain comes from the same few habits, and you can change them at your desk in about three minutes. Raise the screen, bring your chin back, drop your shoulders and get up once an hour. If it keeps coming back, or comes with numbness, tingling or an injury, that's when an exam at our office is worth it. A few signs are emergencies, and those go straight to the ER.
I'm Dr. James Cain, DC, a chiropractor on Pine Lake Road in south Lincoln. I wrote this for desk workers here, and for the kids doing homework and the grandparents reading at the same kitchen table.
Some links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I would suggest to my own patients and family.
Why do the darker months make tech neck worse?
Shorter days mean more sitting and less moving. This week in Lincoln the sun comes up around 7:45 and sets around 6:35 (sunrise and sunset times for Lincoln). Most of us spend that daylight indoors at a screen.
When your eyes drift down to a laptop, your head drifts forward with them. Your neck muscles then hold your head up from behind for hours. That's what "tech neck" means: not an injury, just a long day in one position.
Cold weather adds to it. People hunch their shoulders on the walk in from the parking lot and stay that way at their desk.
What is the 3-minute desk reset?
Here are the four steps from Monday's post, with the reason behind each one.
Put the top of the screen at or just below eye level. OSHA's workstation guide says the same, with the screen about 20 to 40 inches from your eyes (OSHA computer workstations). When your eyes look straight ahead, your head stays over your shoulders instead of out in front of them.
Slide your chin straight back and hold for 5 seconds. Do it 5 times. This is a chin tuck. It wakes up the small muscles in the front of your neck that help hold your head up, so the muscles in the back don't do all the work.
Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. Take a slow breath out as you do it. Shrugged shoulders keep the muscles between your neck and shoulder blades working all day.
Stand up once an hour and walk to a window. Movement is what your joints want after sitting, and right now daylight is short. Grab a minute of it.
That's it. Three minutes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon slump.
How do kids, parents and grandparents each fix their setup?
Kids doing homework. Most kitchen tables are too high for kids and the paper sits flat, so their heads hang over it. Put a box or a stack of books under their feet so their knees are level, prop the book up on a binder or a stand, and turn on a lamp so they aren't leaning in to see after dark. A short stretch break every 20 minutes or so keeps them moving.
Parents at a desk or laptop. Raise the laptop on a few books and use a separate keyboard and mouse. Keep your phone at eye level when you read a long message instead of in your lap. Set a reminder to stand up at the top of each hour.
Grandparents reading or on a tablet. Bring the book or tablet up to you with a pillow on your lap. Good light helps, so put a lamp behind your shoulder instead of leaning toward the window.
What mistakes make neck pain worse?
Tipping your chin down to your chest during a chin tuck. Keep your eyes level the whole time; the head slides back, it doesn't nod.
Pushing through pain. These moves should feel easy. If one causes sharp pain, numbness or tingling, stop.
Cracking your own neck over and over. It can feel good for a minute, but it doesn't change the habit that made you stiff.
Fixing the chair and forgetting the screen. The screen height usually matters most.
Saving it all for the weekend. Two minutes a day beats an hour on Saturday.
If you have had a neck injury, surgery or a condition your doctor is watching, ask us or your doctor before you start any new exercise.
Your tech neck checklist
Screenshot this one.
Top of the screen at or just below eye level
Screen about an arm's length away
Feet flat, knees about level with hips
Chin back, 5 times, morning and afternoon
Shoulders down, slow breath out
Up and to the window once an hour
Phone up to your eyes, not down to your lap
When should you see a chiropractor for neck pain?
Come see us when the stiffness keeps coming back, when the desk reset helps for only a day, or when you get headaches along with a tight neck. Numbness, tingling or weakness in your arm or hand, pain that started after a fall or a fender bender, and pain that hasn't eased after a week of self care are all reasons to get an exam instead of waiting. You don't need a referral to see a chiropractor. You can read more about how we care for neck pain, tech neck and headaches.
At a first visit I look at how your head sits over your shoulders, how your neck and upper back move, and how you sit and work. Then I explain what I found in plain words, along with what you can do at home between visits. If anything in the exam points to something that needs imaging, a specialist or your medical doctor, I'll tell you right away and help you get there. The first visit takes about 30 minutes, and new patients can start with a $20 first visit (not valid for Medicare beneficiaries). We don't bill insurance, and you can read why on our pricing page.
A few signs are emergencies, so skip the appointment and go to the ER or call 911: a fever and headache with a neck so stiff you can't touch your chin to your chest, trouble breathing or swallowing, chest pain or other heart attack signs, not being able to move your arm or hand after an injury, or losing control of your bladder or bowels (MedlinePlus: neck pain).
Questions people ask
Is a chiropractor or a physical therapist better for neck pain?
Both can help, and many people do well with either. A chiropractor focuses on how your spine and joints move and adds exercises and habits you can do at home. If you have numbness or weakness, come in for an exam; I'll check it and refer you to a medical doctor if that's what you need.
How long does tech neck take to get better?
It depends on how long the habit has been there and what else is going on. Do the desk reset every day, and if the pain hasn't eased after a week of self care, come in and let us take a look.
Can kids get tech neck?
Yes. Kids spend hours looking down at homework, tablets and phones. The same fixes work for them: raise the page, support their feet and get them moving. Our page on chiropractic for kids and families explains what a kids' visit looks like.
What I recommend
These make the desk reset easier to keep doing. We don't carry them in our office, so I've linked them on Amazon.
A laptop stand with a wireless keyboard and mouse. The stand lifts the screen up to eye level so your head stays over your shoulders. Once the laptop is up high, a separate keyboard and mouse keep your hands low and your shoulders relaxed while you type. SOUNDANCE aluminum laptop stand and Logitech MK270 wireless keyboard and mouse
A monitor riser. If your desk monitor sits too low, this raises it so the top of the screen lands at about eye level. HUANUO monitor riser
A book stand for homework. It props a textbook up at an angle so kids look ahead instead of down at the table. It works for grandparents reading at the kitchen table too. READAEER bamboo book stand
In this series
This is part one of our Ready for a Nebraska winter series. Next week: raking, lifting and the first snow shovel of the year, without your low back paying for it.
Questions about your neck or your desk? Call or text 402-423-4422, or book your first visit at championchirolincoln.com.
Written by Dr. James Cain, DC, a chiropractor at Champion Family Chiropractic in Lincoln, Nebraska. This article is general education, not personal medical advice. Questions about your own health? Call or text us at 402-423-4422 and we'll help you figure out the next step. For a medical emergency, call 911.
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