As a Myotherapist and Remedial Massage Therapist, I really enjoy treating a wide range of conditions, but there are a few areas that I’m particularly passionate about. One area I really enjoy treating is the upper back, neck and shoulders. These issues are becoming increasingly common, particularly with desk-based work, prolonged screen time and everyday lifestyle habits.
If you spend most of your day at a desk and finish it with a stiff neck, tight shoulders or a headache creeping in behind your eyes, this article is for you.
What I see in the clinic
I often see people presenting with muscle tension, stiffness and discomfort through these areas. For many people, this can have an impact not only on work and exercise, but also on how they feel throughout the day.
The pattern is usually familiar. Long stretches in one position, a screen that sits too low, and few real breaks across the day. None of these things is harmful on its own. The issue is the accumulation, hour after hour, week after week, without much variety in how the body is positioned or used.
The link between your neck and headaches
I also enjoy treating clients who present with tension headaches or symptoms that may be associated with the neck and upper back, including cervicogenic headaches.
Tension-type headaches often feel like a dull, band-like pressure around the head, and tightness through the neck and shoulders can be part of the picture. Cervicogenic headaches are a little different. These are headaches where the neck itself is understood to be the source, with pain referred up into the head, often on one side.
These presentations can be particularly rewarding to work with because improving movement and reducing muscle tension can make a noticeable difference to someone’s comfort and day-to-day
experience.
A quick note for safety – headaches have many causes. If your headaches are new, severe, changing in pattern or accompanied by other symptoms, book an appointment with your GP first.
Setting up your desk
There is no single perfect posture, and the goal is not to sit rigidly in one “correct” position all day. A
few simple adjustments can reduce how much strain builds up across a working day:
- Bring your screen up so the top third sits at about eye level, roughly an arm’s length away.
- If you work on a laptop, a stand plus a separate keyboard and mouse makes the biggest single difference
- Set your chair so your feet rest flat on the floor and your elbows sit at about desk height when relaxed.
- Keep your keyboard and mouse close to your body rather than reaching forward for them.
- Break up long blocks of sitting. A short stand, stretch or walk every 30 to 45 minutes counts.
- Change position through the day. The best posture is the next one, so mix sitting, standing and moving where you can.
Build strength and endurance
Desk setup is only one part of the picture. It’s also important to consider whether the muscles around your neck, shoulders and upper back have the strength and endurance to tolerate long periods of desk work. Rather than constantly stretching a “tight” neck, building the capacity of these muscles can help make prolonged sitting and computer work more manageable. Simple exercises can be a useful addition to your routine, helping improve strength, mobility and endurance.
The goal isn’t to maintain perfect posture all day. Instead, it’s about building a body that can comfortably handle different positions and movement throughout the working day.
How myotherapy can help
What I enjoy most about myotherapy is being able to combine hands-on treatment with an understanding of movement and the demands people place on their bodies.
For desk-related neck and upper back tension, that means hands-on treatment through Myotherapy at Complete to address muscle tension and stiffness, which can include techniques such as dry needling where appropriate, combined with practical advice about your setup, your habits and simple exercises you can do at your desk. My goal is to help people reduce pain and muscle tension, improve movement and get through the day more comfortably.
Book an appointment
If neck tension or headaches are part of your working week, you can book a myotherapy appointment with Giacomo online. Bookings are required for all appointments at Complete Physio Richmond.
