The Surprising Connection Between Neck Pain and A Weak Upper Back
Plus, A Tale of Two Patients: One Who Strength-Trained, and One Who Didn’t
Do you ever find yourself trying to rub out a sore spot in your neck or find it difficult to turn your head? Neck pain is a common concern that can range from a mild nuisance to a big problem. And while neck pain can have several different causes, one contributing factor often gets overlooked: weakness in the shoulders or upper back.
When we deal with persistent aches and pains, poor muscle strength often turns out to be a significant underlying factor. When a muscle isn’t as strong as it should be, other muscles have to step in to compensate, which puts unnecessary strain on them — and makes them more susceptible to overuse injuries. The result? Seemingly random aches and pains that “come out of nowhere.”
If you’re struggling with persistent neck pain, there’s a chance that the problem is rooted in your shoulders or upper back. Slouching and prolonged sitting weakens those upper back muscles, forcing your neck muscles to work overtime — and leading to pain.
Let’s look at two case studies from the Expert Physio Plus files. Both people suffered from neck pain, but only one went through a dedicated strength training program. What happened next?
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Ally’s Story: No Time for Strength-Training
Ally was a receptionist who spent long days typing on a computer, answering the phone, and doing other clerical work. She started to notice a slight pain in her neck while she was at work. Although she ignored it at first, the pain persisted. She knew she needed to seek help. Ally made an appointment with us, where we took her through a comprehensive assessment, including several movement and functional screens. We determined that she had strained the soft tissue in her neck due to her sedentary job.
We started Ally’s treatment with acute pain management using manual therapy techniques and some gentle mobility stretches, which did help her immediate symptoms. However, we knew it wouldn’t be enough to fully resolve her pain, so we suggested she begin a multi-week therapeutic exercise program to restore strength in her upper back and shoulders, helping to reduce the strain on her neck.
Unfortunately, Ally had decided to go back to school, and between work, her classes, and her family, she simply didn’t have time for physiotherapy. So, while we were able to help Ally in the short term, her pain persisted in the long term, eventually landing her back in our clinic a year later.
Ready To Attack Your Neck Pain at the Source?
If you’re struggling with persistent neck pain, physiotherapy at Expert Physio Plus can help you find lasting relief. We’ll assess your symptoms and develop a customized treatment plan that seeks to resolve your neck pain altogether. Call us today to get started!
Sarah’s Story: A Dedicated Strength Training Program
Sarah’s situation was very similar to Ally’s. She was a marketing assistant who also spent a great deal of time on both her laptop and a mobile phone, and she also experienced a gradual onset of neck pain. And, like Ally, she paid us a visit when it became too much.
We gave her a similar diagnosis: a strained neck muscle brought on by improper posture and prolonged sitting. We also provided her with acute pain relief. The difference? Sarah was able to continue her treatment with a six-week therapeutic exercise program.
We met with Sarah twice weekly to guide her through a custom set of targeted neck, shoulder, and upper back exercises. We started with gentle stretches and mobility work before progressing to resistance training exercises. With the help of some dumbbells and an exercise band, Sarah built strength through her upper body, providing her neck with the support it needed.
We also helped Sarah set up her workstation to be more ergonomic, including adjusting the height of her computer monitor and rearranging her keyboard. And we gave her some tips for maintaining postural awareness throughout the day.
The result? After six weeks, Sarah’s neck pain was entirely resolved — and she didn’t have to seek additional treatment!
3 Exercises to Strengthen Your Shoulders & Upper Back
Maintaining strength throughout your shoulders and upper back is crucial to avoid neck pain! The physiotherapists at Expert Physio Plus can help you develop a customized exercise program that addresses your needs and fits with your abilities.
Curious about what exercises we might include in that program? Here’s an overview of three common resistance training exercises we often use to help people with neck discomfort. Before trying any of them yourself, make an appointment with our team to ensure you’re using the right weight and proper form.
- Shoulder Press: With a dumbbell in each hand, make a “field goal ” shape with your arms: your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle with your palms facing up. Brace your core as you press the weights overhead, then slowly lower them back down to your starting position.
- Reverse Flies: Lean forward at your waist with your elbows slightly bent and dumbbell in each hand. Slowly raise the weights until they are in line with your shoulders.
- Modified Push-Ups: Push-ups are a great way to build upper back and shoulder strength, but if you find the standard push-up too difficult, never fear: the modified version is just as effective. Start on your hands and knees (instead of your feet) with the body in a straight line from head to knee. Slowly lower your chest until it’s a few inches off the floor, then rise back up.
A dedicated strength-training program is a great way to reduce neck discomfort. Schedule an appointment with us to get started with one of your own!
3 Exercises to help burn off Those extra turkey Calories
1. Cardio Workouts:
- Running or Jogging: High-impact and efficient for burning calories. Aim for 30 minutes a day to increase your heart rate and boost metabolism.
- Cycling: Great for low-impact cardio. Join a spin class or take a bike ride outside.
- Jump Rope: A fun and effective way to burn calories quickly. Incorporate intervals for added intensity.
2. Strength Training:
- Bodyweight Exercises: Squats, lunges, and push-ups build muscle and increase metabolism. Do a circuit of these exercises for a full-body workout.
- Weight Lifting: Focus on major muscle groups with exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, and rows. Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):
- Interval Sprints: Alternate between sprinting and walking or jogging. This boosts calorie burn and improves cardiovascular health.
- Burpees: Combine strength and cardio with burpees. Perform 30 seconds of high-intensity work followed by 30 seconds of rest.
Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 large celery stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed)
- 2¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don’t wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step.)
- In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.
- Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.