Stiff Neck???

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LOOSEN THY STIFF NECK

Moses got the rebellion business from his stiff-necked brethren.  NHL fans have gotten the cold-shoulder business from stiff-necked unions and owners.   And many patients feel they are getting the pain business from ongoing neck stiffness.  While neck pain and stiffness can occur because of rotten rugby tackles and non-attentive rear-ending dolts, it can also be linked to crummy posture.

YOUR FRAGILE NECK

Your neck is an amazingly complex series of inter-connected natural mini-hydraulics that must adjust to everything you do, either at work or at play.  Biomechanical and anatomy gurus tell us that no other species on God’s green earth that packs around such a big head and heavy brain on such a teeny-weeny toothpick.  Even  the biggest roid-monkey dude with a size 18 collar and spaghetti veins has neck bones and accompanying ligaments and discs are small and delicate relative to the other joints in the body. 

YOUR CRUMMY POSTURE

Simply put, crummy posture unloads just as much extra stress and strain on your delicate neck as your mother-in-law unloads onto your better-half for not visiting often enough.  While your neck can take it for a while, eventually it kinks up like that Slinky that your little cousin Jimmy stretched for too long.  Consider these potential neck-stiffening postures:

·         Crimping your phone between your shoulder and neck for hours at a time in order to free your hands so you can scribble down all the details of your big deal of the day

·         Sitting with your neck rotated and sideways to see your computer monitor because you’ve got books, papers, and your sub sandwich strewn all over your desk

·         Having your shoulders slouched and head hung forward after watching Napolean Dynamite and realizing that, “Gosh”, you share many of his same habits

LOOSEN THY STIFFNESS

Sacred history teaches that Moses brought comfort to the afflicted and affliction to the comfortable.  You too can bring comfort to your afflicted neck if you practice what the posture prophets preach:

·         Yes, mom was right.  Brush your teeth.  Comb your hair. Don’t go out with skanks.   And most importantly, sit up straight.

·         Do regular neck stretches throughout the day, especially if you are sitting a lot of the time.  Simple rotation flexibility exercises are often the best.  

·         If you have to blab on the phone lots, get a headset.  If this is impossible, at least alternate the phone between both sides of your neck.

If you are worrying about a serious neck problem, or find that none of the above suggestions are helpful, take your affliction to a physical therapist that you are most comfortable with.  He will give you a thorough checkup and help deliver you from your stiff-neckedness.

Brent Kassian, BScPT, MCPA, MCPTA

Executive Director

Capilano Rehab Centre

phone:  466-1104

hit their hip website @ www. caprehab.com