Neck Pain Support Blog

Improve your Posture with the Posture Corrector

Recently, I have been getting many emails from patients who wish to improve their posture. The most common posture I see is the forward head posture (or forward head carriage) with rolled shoulders forward. A slouched looking posture that is not healthy for your spine. The Posture Corrector is the best support that I have found to keep your shoulders from rolling forward. Incidentally, keeping your shoulders back, also keeps your head from being too forward, a position that puts a tremendous amount of strain on the neck and upper back.

The Posture Corrector is a canvas support that is invisible under clothes- it can be used by men and women. It’s a one size fits all (up to a 40”chest) with a clasp in the front to tighten as needed. Larger sizes are available as well on arc4life. The white canvas is made out of breathable cotton and has two flexible stays that go over your shoulders. The shoulder straps will give you a comfortable fit while at the same time holding your shoulders back, in a neutral position. To understand how the posture corrector is worn, watch this new youtube video:



Having Proper Posture is not an overnight fixable thing. It takes time to train your body to be in the right position. You will be engaging new muscles to act different- you will feel things differently. You may even have a little soreness by the end of the day in your new posture. Think about how long you have been assuming your present posture. Now you have to train your muscles to be in a different better way. Through traction protocols, using the right pillow at night, head retraction exercises (and other postural exercises) and using the posture corrector, you can have better posture overtime. - NJ

Additional Reading Resources

Improve Poor Posture with the Posture Corrector

6 Ways to Improve Your Neck Posture

The Best Neck Exercise to Correct Forward Head Posture

Why Posture Is the Window to Your Health

How to End Neck Pain By Doing Cervical Traction Protocol At Home

Visit the Arc 4 Life Store for your online selection of neck pillows, cervical supports and cervical traction products 4 relief of stiff neck, and neck pain.



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The Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Neck Posture & Get Rid of Neck Pain

1. 1. Design your workstation to be ergonomically correct. Check the distance and angle of your computer screen, the height of your chair, your keyboard, and how your arms rest on your chair. Little adjustments can make a big difference in how you feel at the end of the day. For example, the top of your computer monitor should be at the level of your eyebrows approximately. Angle your computer up or place a phone book or two under the monitor to raise it up as necessary. Continually having to look down or flex your head forward can put a lot of stress on the neck muscles and can lead to poor neck posture. You can even use a bookend or note holder (similar to recipe book holder) to place your documents on while typing, thereby preventing you from constantly looking down.
   
   
2. Use a Cervical Support Neck Pillow for Sleeping at Night. Using a supportive neck pillow such as the cervical linear traction neck pillow will allow your head and neck to be aligned while sleeping on your side or on your back. This pillow will ensure that you have good neck posture while sleeping by allowing your neck to the have the proper c-curve while sleeping. For those people who suffer from neck pain due to a herniated disc, disc bulge or degenerative disc- having the right neck pillow is crucial for pain relief and maintaining mobility in the neck.
   
   
3. Do neck exercises a few times a week. If you suffer from neck pain or neck stiffness, do these Neck Stretches slowly and only to the point that you can feel the stretch- you never want to do them to the point of pain. This is especially important if you suffer with neck arthritis or degeneration in the cervical spine. Keeping the joints moving and flexible is very important for patients with arthritis in the neck. This will ensure flexibility and mobility in the neck. When stretching don’t bounce during the stretch- hold the stretch steady for 10-15 seconds (or as prescribed by your therapist). Remember motion is life!
   
   
4. Do Strengthening Exercises a few times a week. Strengthening Exercises for the neck also know as Isometric exercises. Isometric exercise is a type of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. Simply, this means that in these exercises the length of the muscle does not change. As you continue to do these strengthening exercises for the cervical spine you will gain strength in your neck. Strong neck muscles will prevent you from getting injured.
   
   
5. 5. Check your posture during your activities of daily living. For example, if you are driving for most of the day or using the computer constantly, try not to have a forward head posture. Changing the distance of your car seat to the pedal can make a big difference. Don’t clench your hands on the steering wheels- as this can cause stiffness in the neck and upper back as well.
   
   
6. See a chiropractor to make sure your cervical spine is properly aligned. If you suffer from chronic neck pain, the chiropractor may refer you for x-rays which can show the alignment of your spine. For example if you have been diagnosed with a military neck or loss of cervical lordosis, talk to your Doctor about doing a neck traction protocol.
   
   
7. Change your sleeping position for the better at night. If you are a stomach sleeper, consider sleeping on your back or on your side. Sleeping on your stomach can cause misalignment issues and also muscle spasms. Sleeping on your stomach is one cause of waking up with a stiff neck. It is normal for one to move into different position at night. Sometimes being in one position for too long can be cause of pain. We spend 1/3 of our life sleeping, so sleeping position is important for health.
   
   
8. 8. Check your Neck Posture While Exercising. When exercising or lifting weights, keep your head and back in an upright erect position- to much forward flexion can cause a strain on the neck muscles. Avoid neck pain while doing your abdominal exercises by keeping proper form.
   
   
9. Reduce stress during the day. Stress increases the cortisol levels in your body. In addition to causing other problems in the body, it can also cause tight muscles, stiff muscles, muscle cramping and pain. Tight upper trapezius, levator scapulae, cervical parapsinals and subocciptal muscles can all be affected by stress.
   
   
10. 10. Practice good habits with activities such as driving. Make sure you wear your seatbelt. Elevate the headrest and make sure it is close to your head (less than 1 inch). Place your seat back more vertical and upright. All these simple things can protect your neck and your head during a rear end collision – preventing whiplash symptoms. Studies have shown that multiple car accidents can cause changes in the cervical spine. Whiplash can cause damage to the soft tissues in the neck, cervical spine joints, intervertebral discs, alignment, and muscles. Your neck posture can be severely thrown off for years if you do not get proper treatment. Other symptoms can include loss of movement, headaches, TMJ problems, dizziness, shoulder and arm pain, numbness and tingling into the upper extremities. Ensuring that your body is safe and protected during driving is very important. Also, I just have to add: Don’t use your cell phone while driving (not good for your neck incidentally)- that including texting and talking. – this is plain common sense, if you ask me.
    
    

Additional Reading Resources

• Having Optimal Neck Posture While Working At Your Computer Desk
• The Best Neck Exercise to Correct Forward Head Posture
• How to End Neck Pain By Doing a Cervical Tracton Program at Home
• Ezine Article: How to End Neck Pain By Improving your Neck Posture. How Proper Posture Improves Your Spine Relieving Nerve Pressure
• Reducing Whiplash Injuries by 90%- just by Changing One Thing in Your Car

Visit the Arc 4 Life Store for your online selection of neck pillows, cervical supports and cervical traction products 4 relief of stiff neck, and neck pain.



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Neck Muscles Most Responsible For Your Stiff Neck And Trigger Points: The Levator Scapulae & Trapezius

You wake up with a stiff neck after sleeping on the couch the night before and find that you cannot turn your head- what could be causing this inability to turn your head, stiffness and overall pain in your neck? Today I want to discuss a muscle called the levator scapulae and also revisit a muscle we have talked about previously: the trapezius muscle.

That dreaded stiff neck is most often caused by a neck muscle called the levator scapulae. This muscle attaches to the sides of the 1st 4 cervical vertebrae (c1, c2, c3, and c4) or transverse processes and connects to the top of the shoulder blade or scapula. This muscle is responsible for allowing you to turn your head. When there are muscle spasms, or trigger points a loss in range of motion and stiffness of the neck can occur. The pain pattern of this muscle is usually where the neck and shoulder meet and along the inside of the shoulder blade.

To stretch the levator scapulae muscle laterally tilt your head and turn slightly to the opposite direction you are laterally bending to. It also helps to also flex the head slightly forward. To increase the stretch reach up with the hand (on the side you are tilting towards and give a gentle pull on the head laterally and slightly forward. For example, to stretch the left levator scapulae- tilt your head right, turn or rotate back to the left 30 to 40 degrees, and pull your head slightly forward and to the right.

The muscle most responsible for trigger points is your upper trapezius muscle. This muscle attaches from the back of the neck vertebrae, out to the clavicle. To stretch the upper trapezius it’s similar to the levator scapulae except you turn the head in the same direction you are lateral flexing.

For instance, to stretch the left upper trap: tilt or laterally bend the head to the right, turn your head 30 to 40 degrees to the right and flex the head slightly forward.

The trapezius pain pattern is most often up the back of the neck on one side or the other and sometimes up into the temple, orbit (eye), or angle of the jaw.

The trigger points in the trapezius are located above the levator scaupulae in the belly of muscle that is between your neck and shoulder. You can often reach one arm across and squeeze the belly of the trapezius muscle where trigger points are most often found.

Additional Reading Resources

• My trapezius really hurts…How do I find relief?
• Decreasing tension in her neck and upper back
• What Can Cause a Stiff Neck?
• The things that make you say “ Oh my Neck….”
• Arc4life’s Spine-Worx Posture system helps maintain spinal alignment!
• Sally and her Stiff Neck: Solutions for Neck Pain Relief

Visit the Arc 4 Life Store for your online selection of neck pillows, cervical supports and cervical traction products 4 relief of stiff neck, and neck pain.



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Severe Neck Pain with Numbess and Tingling-- all from a Herniated Disc?

Neck pain can often be a true hindrance, affecting your normal lifestyle and daily activities. This is especially true when, in addition to neck pain, there are other symptoms like headaches or pain radiating into the arms and hands. Depending the level of the herniated disc, you may experience weakness, severe pain or even shooting pains into the upper extremity.



A disc herniation can often be the cause of severe neck pain and/or arm pain. A herniated disc occurs when the inner disc (nucleus) breaks through the outer disc (annulus) and puts pressure on a nerve root. What often happens is the annulus gets weakened by wear and tear on our bodies, age, and a neck trauma or injury.

Disc herniations typically occur in individuals younger than 45 years of age because as we get older the nucleus hardens. People with cervical disc herniation often suffer with neck pain for years because they can happen at a young age, often getting aggravated.

MRI images have shown us that disc herniations can decrease in size and even go away. When this happens, pressure on the nerves or nerve roots lessens or goes away.

Studies have shown us that restoring normal alignment of the neck helps disc herniations fall back into place and disappear. When the neck spine is in its normal C-curve alignment (cervical lordosis of 40-60 degrees) the neck spine is in its strongest position and all the discs are held in place.

Studies have also shown us the best thing to restore that normal C-curve is neck traction that not only stretches the neck but also forces the curvature back into the neck. For example, a neck collar might stretch or elongate the neck, but does not put more curvature into the neck. However, a device like the posture pump does restore the C-curvature. In addition to that, using a cervical Support neck pillowcan help to align your head and spine optimally while sleeping.

Additional Reading Resources

• End Neck Pain By Improving Posture- How Proper Posture Improves Your Spine Relieving Nerve Pressure
• The Normal Cervical Curve in the Neck
• Neck Pain Resulting in a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
• The Right Neck Pillow for a Herniated Disc in the Cervical Spine
• Non Surgical Treatment Solutions for Neck Pain

Photo Source: www.nucleusinc.com

Visit the Arc 4 Life Store for your online selection of neck pillows, cervical supports and cervical traction products 4 relief of stiff neck, and neck pain.



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How Not Doing Weight Bearing Exercise Can Make Your Bones Unhealthy..

One way to build strong bones and prevent fractures and osteoporosis is doing weight bearing exercises on a regular basis. What is weight bearing exercise, you ask? Well, any activity that stresses your bones and your joints. Any activity that makes you work. Stress on bones makes for increased bone mass. Increased bone mass means that you are more protected from getting osteoporosis. For example, here is some simple weight bearing exercises that you can do:

• Walking
• Lifting Weights (even with light resistance)
• Going Up and Down Stairs
• Dancing the Tango
• Step Aerobics
• Jump Rope
• Bhangra Dancing
• Jogging or running
• Exercising on A Stationary Bike
• Shoveling Snow
• Leg Squats
• Playing Tennis
• Martial Arts (such as Aikido, Jujitsu, Kenjutsu, Judo, Kendo, or Karate)

Research has shown that patients who are recovering in bed for long periods of time or are in a coma state are susceptible to declining bone mass. Because they are not able to do any form of weight bearing exercising, their bones are not getting the regiment to build more bone mass. This is a phenomenon that has been studied in astronauts coming back from space. Because gravity hasn't been exerting a load on their bones, they have less bone mass. For these astronauts resistance exercise in important because it prevent the loss of muscle strength, muscle performance, bone loss which can lead to the path of osteoporosis.

You see, it all comes down to “Wolffs Law”. The body lays down more bone when you stress the bone. Wolff's law is a theory developed by the German Anatomist Julius Wolff (1836-1902) in the 19th century that states that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads it is placed under. If loading on a particular bone increases, the bone will remodel itself over time to become stronger to resist that sort of loading. Specifically, the external cortical portion of the bone becomes thicker as a result. The converse is true as well: if the loading on a bone decreases, the bone will become weaker due to turnover, it is less metabolically costly to maintain and there is no stimulus for continued remodeling that is required to maintain bone mass. For example, you can see this in tennis players. They often develop stronger bones in the dominant arm that they play with since it is routinely placed under higher than normal stresses. The same effect is seen in martial arts students. Repetitive punching or kicking objects with increasing intensity (or of increasing hardness) to develop striking power to damage your opponents, can increase bone intensity in the striking area.

Studies have shown that an exercise regiment is good for chronic neckpain. Exercise is also good for your bones. So next time you are engaging in exercise, think of all the positive benefits you are getting. Your bones will thank you.

Source: Wolff J. "The Law of Bone Remodeling". Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer, 1986 (translation of the German 1892 edition)

Additional Resources:

• Exercise for Chronic Neck Pain Works
• Strengthening Your Neck Muscles for Better Health
• How to Avoid Neck Pain While Doing Ab Exercises
• The Spine Worx Posture Align for Better Posture
• The Winter Weather is here, Are you shoveling Snow properly?

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A Good Support Pillow Will Help you Hold your Chiropractor Adjustment!

The key with your chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is getting it to hold so pressure stays off of your nerves and pain doesn’t return. For all of you who have been to the chiropractor this is why it takes a certain number of treatments to get you completely better.

In some cases when an injury just takes place 1 or 2 adjustments may be all you need to feel complete relief. However, most often it can take a series of treatments to correct misalignments and train the spine to hold in position.

Often times to speed the healing process and help you get better quicker, your chiropractor will recommend neck exercises, postural exercises, neck traction, and a support pillow.

A good support neck pillow such as Arc4life’s Cervical Traction Neck Pillow allows to have good alignment of head and neck while sleeping (on your side or on your back). One way to determine If a cervical pillow will help you at night is to use a towel roll under your head for a few nights. If this feels comfortable and you able to get a good night sleep, a cervical support pillow will be extremely beneficial for you.

Additional Resources:

• How a Military Neck can be the cause of neck pain
• How to use the traction side of the cervical traction neck pillow for maximum pain relief and better sleep
• The Best Exercise to Correct Forward Head Posture
• What should be the Proper Position of your Neck
• How to Choose the Best Neck Pillow for Your Needs
• Align Your Spine with the Spine-worx

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