You might think a chiropractor would know better than to spend too long at a computer and end up with a
stiff neck.
You’d think.
I’ve been experiencing a few of the familiar problems people bring into my practice. In particular, what
I’ve taken to calling “mouse neck”.
But first, some context.
From the engine room to the front desk
Years ago, when I first started working as a chiropractor, I worked in what were known as “volume”
clinics.
There were multiple chiropractors working from multiple rooms. The clinic owner controlled the
appointment book, and you saw as many patients as you could.
Good for my pocket, good for theirs. The patients appeared content. Honestly? It was all I knew at the
time. I didn’t know I could practise in my own way.
Two receptionists took calls, made bookings and collected payments. Another staff member moved
patients into rooms and got everything ready for the next person – filing notes, changing the paper on the
table and keeping things moving in the “engine room”, as they called it.
Remember, I wasn’t the only chiropractor working. So double all that activity.
I was sometimes standing and adjusting for 10 hours, with a one-hour break for lunch.
My, how things have changed!
I started this practice in Camberwell in 1999. I had assistants in the early days, but eventually decided that
hiring and managing staff wasn’t for me. I became a one-man band.
Now, as well as standing and treating people, I sit at the front desk taking payments, creating
appointments and answering the phone.
I sit a lot more than I did 30 years ago, and I’m finding out what many of you have been putting up with
for years.
I’m also 30 years older. That probably deserves a mention.
And when we’re trying to understand an ongoing problem, useful information matters.
Sound familiar?
My “mouse neck” involves pain and tightness around my right shoulder blade, travelling up the back of
my neck on that side. Turning my head can feel stiff.
“Mouse neck” is my nickname for it, of course – not a diagnosis. Similar symptoms can have different
causes.
But the situation might sound familiar: hours staring at a screen and fiddling with a mouse, without much
variety in what your neck and shoulder are doing.
Then there’s the lower back. Mine is pretty good at the moment, although I have been caught slouching
while engrossed in my phone.
You may know that feeling when you’ve been sitting for ages and then get up: your back feels stiff, and it
takes a few steps to get going comfortably.
It’s easy to become so involved in what we’re doing that we don’t notice how long we’ve been sitting
there.
Until we stand up.
Give yourself a change of position
I’m not suggesting you spend your working day worrying about whether you’re sitting perfectly upright.
A more practical starting point is to give yourself some variety. Get out of the chair. Go to the filing cabinet. Go to the toilet. Take a walk during your break rather than eating a sandwich at your desk and “working through”.
Standing still all day isn’t the whole answer either. The idea is to change what you’re doing and give yourself opportunities to move.
Short, regular breaks from screen work can help make that possible. Comcare’s advice on computer workstations includes getting a drink of water, walking to the kitchen or speaking to a colleague instead
of emailing them.
Which is sensible advice that I occasionally need to take myself.
What I’ve been trying
For my shoulder, I’ve been using a rubber massage ball, gently working around the muscles near my shoulder blade. I’ve also had the massager out.
I admit it’s tempting to home in on the sorest spot and really go for it. But the amount of pain you can tolerate isn’t a measure of how much good you’re doing.
These are things I’ve been trying for my own problem. They aren’t automatically the right approach for
every sore neck or shoulder.
An illustration of using a massage ball against a wall. Whether this is suitable for you depends on your particular problem.
If you’ve bought a massage ball or one of those massage machines that now lives at the bottom of the wardrobe, bring your questions to an appointment. We can talk about whether it’s suitable for you and
how to use it.
The same applies to stretches. A movement that feels comfortable for one person may aggravate someone else’s symptoms. You don’t have to force yourself into a cobra stretch because someone on the internet
makes it look easy.
For back pain, staying active and continuing everyday activities where possible is generally encouraged. Healthdirect’s Australian guide to low back pain is a useful starting point. If an exercise makes your pain worse, stop and seek advice.
Yes, I put things off too
We often think a small problem will go away eventually.
When it doesn’t, we go to Google. We find an energetic person who seems very confident they can solve
it, and we try the exercises.
Sometimes they help. Sometimes we keep searching.
I’ve done it myself. I’ve been on the floor with the rubber ball. I’ve got the massager out. I’ve even
purchased a yoga ring to stretch out my stiff lower back.
We’re all the same.
Eventually, I make some time for myself and arrange an assessment rather than continuing to guess.
Being a chiropractor doesn’t make me immune to putting my own needs further down the list.
When it isn’t settling
There’s a place for the things you do at home. There’s also a point at which it makes sense to find out
more about a problem that keeps hanging around.
If neck, shoulder or back discomfort isn’t settling, is getting worse, or is interfering with everyday life,
have it assessed. The next step depends on what’s causing it and what’s appropriate for you.
In the clinic, we can talk about your symptoms, assess the problem and discuss suitable care, movements
and changes to your routine. Sometimes another health professional will be better placed to help.
I can’t be with you at work every couple of hours. But we can work out some practical strategies that fit
your day.
In the meantime, I had better get up from this computer.