Corvid-19 - A pain in the neck.

Let’s get to the point, we are fighting an invisible, indiscriminate and ruthless killer. The yawning chasm of a perilous situation beckons and our only defence is to carefully prepare, heed advice and avoid travel.

Which means we all get stay in our houses, watch TV, read, home-school, eat and for many work.

My experience working from home before the virus was mostly unenjoyable and now the enforced version entails hours of video conferences on the laptop and never ending phone calls.

l suspect many of us are working from the kitchen table, sofas, beds and floors, in some cases along with our children and partners. To this add in a liberal sprinkling of anxiety and stress and hey presto, a massive pain in the neck.

It's worth mentioning that maintaining a good balance is the most helpful way of managing. Neither being too ‘good’ nor acceding to the temptation of being a bit bad. Setting boundaries limiting your coffee or alcohol intake is better than deciding to cut it out altogether. Similarly practicing yoga 3 times a day is for most of us, excessive. “Everything in moderation” still speaks of a harmonious and balanced approach to life and worth remembering during these troubled times.

Here are some really easy things you can do to help minimise the strain on your upper back and neck, ease any tension after you stop working and most importantly keep yourself healthy.

1 – Posture. Your kitchen table (let alone all the other work venues) is not designed for good, long term sitting. If the kitchen table is the only option try to get the screen to head level and support your arms/wrists. You might need to adapt your laptop to do this by adding a separate keyboard. Push your bum into the back of the chair and consciously sit upright. If you can your head, shoulders and hips should be roughly in line. Watch for your shoulders rounding forwards and your head falling forwards. Look at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/posture-tips-for-laptop-users/

2 – Time. Stop at regular intervals. Get up and do something else. Then when you go back to the computer remember your posture.

3 – STOP. And move if it starts to hurt. When you do finally stop work do some basic neck maintenance.

4 - Look for ‘The Daily Dozen’ on the internet – as a minimum do the neck exercise here’s an example https://youtu.be/NlyyWBDMNLM there are many versions to suit everybody’s style.

5 - Throughout the day massage the area on the top of the hand just behind the knuckles of your index and middle finger. If the pain is worse on your left side, then massage the right hand and vice versa. Rotate the neck as you do this.  This is an ancient pressure point which helps with stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulders.

6 - With your thumb press the area at the base of your skull and with gentle circular motions slowly move your thumb down the muscles of the side and back of your neck.

7 - Massage the muscle between your neck and shoulder (the Trapezius). Find the area approximately halfway along and gently pinch this area between your thumb and index finger applying a rolling circular motion.

8 - Gentle heat is also very good, but whatever you do not allow your neck to cool.

9 - Stop, pause and breathe. This will calm the mind a little and help you relax and ease tension on your neck (and mind). There are loads of techniques beginners can visit headspace.com or calm.com for simple guidance.

For now, stay safe, follow the advice and keep strong.

Chris

Further Reading:-

Bisio, T. A Tooth from the Tigers Mouth, (2004)

Penman, D & Williams, M. Mindfulness. A practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World. (2011)