As we continue to navigate our way through COVID lock downs many people find that they are sitting more, which inevitably leads to more neck pain.  As many people work from home on poor work stations, and watch more Netflix than ever before, that nagging neck pain becomes more annoying and they find themselves asking “Will neck pain go away?”

In the past few months, neck pain and back pain related to posture and sitting are the most common injuries I am seeing in my physiotherapy practice.  As you find yourself sitting at home, because of the government stay-at-home order, beginning to wonder “Will neck pain go away?”; here are some major reasons you may be having neck pain during the pandemic.  If you address some of these concerns, you will find that you should get some neck pain relief.  

Sitting and poor posture

As mentioned above, too much sitting and slouching is a major cause of neck pain. Simply by taking breaks from sitting, getting up and moving every 50 minutes can make a major difference for your neck health.  Many of my patients have also found that adding a sit-to-stand station to a workstation can make a world of difference to their neck and back.  If you decide to add a sit-to-stand station, I recommend switching between sitting and standing every hour; this allows you to rest muscles in the neck and back and the feet.

You gave up on your cardiovascular exercise

Many people are running out of motivation to stay active during this pandemic.  However, cardio is so important not only for general health but neck and back health.  Cardio exercise improves endorphin levels which helps with pain, relaxes muscle, and calms your nerves.   That’s right! Cardio is like a natural muscle relaxant and pain killer.  So instead of popping the Advil, get outside and walk for a minimum of 30 minutes a day.  You can also start with a gradual run walk program.  If your pain is too severe, to try walking for 30 minutes or start a run-walk program, I recommend consulting with a physiotherapist for advice on how to improve your pain and get back an active lifestyle.

Neck and back muscles are getting tight or weak

The more you sit over time your posture changes.  Some muscles in your neck, and back get tight.  Some get weak because of not being properly activated.  This combination leads to your head slowly moving forward past your shoulders, your back becoming more flexed and your shoulders moving down and forward.  This change in posture leads to increased tension and stiffness which will start to result in pain in the neck and back.  A good hands on physiotherapist can assess your neck and back for weakness and tightness and come up with a plan to rebalance these muscles so that you will have less tension and your neck improves.

Overthinking and Fear of the unknown

As the pandemic continues and lockdowns go on, many people are worried about the future of their lives.  The mental health impact of the pandemic is affecting many people. So it is important if you are feeling overwhelmed to speak with your family doctor.  If you find yourself overthinking, and feeling overwhelmed cardiovascular exercise and meditation exercises can be useful in helping with mental health.  Feelings of anxiety will lead to increased muscle tone which can lead to increased neck pain.  So addressing anxiety is not only important for your mental health and well being but it will also help to reduce some forms of neck pain.

Neck pain can be complex, affects many people and has significantly increased since the beginning of the pandemic.  It can be difficult to know what to do about your neck, especially in these difficult times.  Many people will have the pain building for weeks; the pain getting so intense that they can hardly stand to sit at the computer anymore. Some people are not able to sleep as they toss and turn trying to get into a position that will give them relief.  Luckily, we are here to help.  Physiotherapy from a good hands on physiotherapist is the safest most effective way of treating neck pain and ensuring that you avoid it in the future.  If you worry about will neck pain go away?  If your neck pain is getting worse, or you feel you need help beyond what is offered in this post we invite you to contact us at 416-660-4187 for a free 20 minute in person consultation with an experienced hands on physiotherapist.  To get neck pain relief and get back to doing activities you enjoy without nagging pain physiotherapy is the answer! So if you are suffering from neck pain we hope to hear from you soon.