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5 Ways to Avoid Neck and Back Pain

Amy Bowman, OPTP Staff Writer - August 16, 2019

Neck and back pain can make the most simple, everyday movement feel like a major feat. Turning to check traffic before making a lane change can cause sharp pain that stops you in your tracks. The best way to deal with neck and back pain? Avoid it altogether, if you can. 
 
Dr. Greg DeNunzio, chiropractor and Clinic Chief of Staff of the Biomechanics Division at Northwestern Health Sciences University provided the top 5 ways to avoid neck and back pain. 


Sleep on your back 



 

“One of the main things I would talk with my patients about is their sleep posture because it’s so important,” says Dr. DeNunzio. “You’re in bed for around eight hours a night or more, so outside of ergonomics, sleeping in a healthy position is the best way to avoid neck and back pain.” 

According to DeNunzio, the best sleep position is lying on your back because you have the support of the spine and your body weight is more equally distributed. You want to sleep on a flat pillow, so you don't reverse the curve in your neck. You can also purchase a cervical pillow that can be placed inside your pillowcase to support the neck. 


Sleep on your side 



“If you have a pillow between your knees, you definitely can sleep on your side,” says Dr. DeNunzio. The pillow keeps you from twisting at the hip or rolling over. So, for instance, if you’re on your left side and have no pillow between your knees, your right leg could fall over the top and you kind of roll to that left side causing your hips to twist. The pillow keeps your spine and hips in line. 
 
According to Dr. DeNunzio, having a pillow between your ear and the bed keeps your neck in line with your spine. Just be sure it’s the correct size pillow that doesn’t angle the neck towards one shoulder or the other. In addition, Dr. DeNunzio says it’s important to sleep toward the back of the shoulder, closer to the shoulder blade, instead of having your shoulder perpendicular to the bed which causes too much force directly on the shoulder joint. 
 
It’s also important to make an effort to switch sides – either during the night or every other night. 


Avoid sleeping on your stomach 




Lying on your stomach is the worst position to sleep in for two reasons, according to Dr. DeNunzio. First, there’s no support of the spine, so you tend to really arch your low back and you can jam the vertebra together by doing that.
 
Plus, you have to turn your head to one side or the other in order to breathe. “When you do this, you’re stretching the musculature on one side and shortening musculature on the opposite side of the neck, which sets up an imbalance,” says Dr. DeNunzio. This can cause tension in the muscles that attach at the base of the skull, which can lead to neck pain, headaches, and upper back pain.  


Have your workstation ergonomics checked 




If you sit at a desk, Dr. DeNunzio advises that you check to make sure that the top of your computer screen is at eye level and that your keyboard is on an adjustable tray, so you always keep your wrists as straight as possible. The same with the mouse – it should be on the keyboard tray so you’re not reaching up for it. 
 
“Adjust your chair so your knees are slightly below your hips, which allows you to keep good posture through your low back into your upper back and neck,” says Dr. DeNunzio. If your knees are above your hips you start to round out your low back which puts a lot of stress on the low back, so you really want to avoid that. 


Stretch 




In addition to taking breaks from sitting every 30 minutes or so, Dr. DeNunzio tells people to do what he calls scapular retraction exercises. Put your thumbs under your armpits and pull your elbows back. Pulse and squeeze the shoulder blades together while keeping your elbows behind you. 
 
Lastly, focus on holding your head straight up and try to be conscious of where your chin is. You want to keep your chin from jutting out in front of you, causing your head to protrude forward. Basically, you want your head to stay in line with your spine.  


Bonus Tip 

Following these simple tips can help you avoid neck and back pain. Should you find yourself in pain, Dr. DeNunzio says that the sooner you get in to see a practitioner the better – whether it’s a chiropractor, physical therapist, acupuncturist, or massage therapist. If you get in right away it’s easier to get back to feeling well more quickly because you haven’t given the muscles the time to start to change length in a more permanent way. 
 

Greg DeNunzio, DC, BSME

Dr. Greg DeNunzio has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and is a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. He is currently completing his Master’s in Exercise Science. He has 25 years of experience working as a chiropractor in a multidisciplinary clinic and is the Clinic Chief of Staff of the Biomechanics Division at Northwestern Health Sciences University. 
 



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Amy Bowman, OPTP Staff Writer

Amy is a Minneapolis runner, cyclist and yoga enthusiast who enjoys writing about health and wellness, physical therapy and fitness topics.

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