Conditions
Desk Neck
Stiff neck, tight shoulders and headaches from long days at a desk.
Book first visit
Sound familiar?
- Your neck is stiff by mid-afternoon
- Headaches start at the base of your skull
- You can't turn your head fully when reversing
- Your shoulders are up near your ears by 5pm
- It eases on weekends and comes back by Wednesday
What's going on
Your head weighs about 5kg. When you lean towards a screen for hours, the muscles at the back of your neck and upper shoulders work overtime to hold it up. The joints stiffen, the muscles tighten, and the area becomes sensitive. Headaches, stiffness and that constant ache are the result.
Why it keeps coming back
Massage and stretching feel good, but your desk is still there on Monday. If the stiff joints aren't moving properly and the muscles that support your neck aren't strong enough for your workload, the same pattern rebuilds itself every week.
How I treat it
Your first visit includes a full assessment and your first treatment on the same day. Then you choose your path:
Symptomatic approach
We treat until the pain is gone. Then you're done.
Corrective approach
First, we get you out of pain. Then we keep going, improving your movement, balance, posture and strength so the problem stops coming back and your body becomes resilient and fit.
Try this today
- 1
Find the tender spot
Press along the muscles at the back of your neck. You'll probably find one level that feels more tender than the rest. That's called sensitisation. The joint at that level has stopped moving through its full range, and the muscles around it have become tight and weak. Getting these structures moving and working properly again is my bread and butter.
- 2
Chin tucks
Every hour, sit tall and tuck your chin straight back, as if making a double chin. Hold for 5 seconds while pressing on the tender spot. Do 5 reps. It takes 30 seconds and switches on the deep neck muscles your desk turns off.
Still not right? Book first visit