Younger generations growing up in the digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges do not build dormitory furniture to be ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They build it to be indestructible.”

In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long places your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.

Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Your Fort Worth chiropractor can assist in eliminating the lower back pain, upper back pain, and/or neck pain that you are currently experiencing. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer, and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball can not only aide in keeping you in a beneficial posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)

Good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.

Partial source: The New York Times, Health Review, June 22, 2009

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Anatomy

To understand neck pain, it is important to be aware of the anatomy of the spine. The movement of the spine is guided by neck vertebrae that are composed of posterior joints, called facets, that connect vertebrae to one another. The inter-vertebral discs join the bodies of the vertebrae and are composed of a form of dense cartilage that encases a soft material in the center, called the nucleus. The principal function of the disc is as a shock absorber and spacer between the vertebrae. In a canal positioned between the body and the facets of the vertebrae is the spinal cord. Spinal nerves exit the spine between the vertebrae and provide energy to muscles and organs of the body. Transversely, they carry sensory impulses, including pain information, from the body to the brain.  The nerves that go out from the neck are responsible for the entire upper extremity including the shoulder, elbow and hand, as well as structures of the head and neck. The neck has a natural forward curve when observed from the side that helps appropriately balance the weight of the head, as well as to decrease stress on the neck joints. For more information please feel free to visit your Fort Worth Chiropractor.

Risk Factors: Neck Pain and Computer Use

More and more people are now earning a wage sitting at a desk in front of a computer. The use of computers has risen significantly, and many individuals spend eight to ten hours a day slumped over the keyboard and staring at the monitor. When we sit with our head in a forward bent position-the posture that most desk workers assume-the ligaments that hold the facets together and the muscles in the neck are put under enormous strain. Furthermore, the normal forward curve of the neck may become reversed and create more stress on the surrounding tissue of the neck. All of this can lead to spinal problems including disc herniation and subluxations, which are the main causes of spinal nerve pain. Besides general pain, spinal nerve inflammation in the neck can cause symptoms such as headaches, eye problems, giddiness, arm and hand pain (and paraesthesia), as well as shoulder pain.

Headaches and Chiropractic Care

Headaches or migraines are usually associated with disorders of the cervical spine. When the cervical vertebrae lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels that are associated with structures in the head are stretched or irritated thus producing symptoms from a dull ache to throbbing pain. Trigger points, the tight knots in the muscles of the neck, can also refer pain to the head.  Of course there are other factors connected with headaches including toxic fumes, certain foods, additives such as MSG, alcohol, caffeine, and stress. Nevertheless, the alignment of the neck and the agitation of surrounding tissues should be a primary consideration when treating headaches and migraines. Chiropractic manipulation and management have proved to be very effective in the treatment of headaches. Ask your Fort Worth Chiropractor about the benefits of Chiropractic care.

Whiplash and Chiropractic Care

Many people are involved in car accidents. Rear-end collisions are the most common. During such an accident, the passenger in the front vehicle gets his or her head powerfully jolted backward and then forward causing damage to the structures of the back and front of the neck. This kind of trauma is often called a whiplash. Even at low speeds, the amount of force arising from such an accident is very intense and can cause trauma to the ligaments, muscles, facet joints, discs, and spinal nerves. Whiplash injury includes neck pain and immobility, and other symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vertigo, arm and should pain, tingling in the hands and fingers, and weakness of the arms and hand. Immediate evaluation and x-rays are vital in order to rule out a fracture. More often than not in many cases, the injuries are mainly to the soft tissues and joints. Proper care is crucial in recovery from the pain and symptoms of whiplash, and also to prevent future disability. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is educated to understand whiplash injury, and is more than capable of managing the case from injury to recovery.

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