{"id":463,"date":"2016-06-10T16:06:30","date_gmt":"2016-06-10T15:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thebodymatters.co.uk\/blog\/?p=463"},"modified":"2022-05-11T12:30:30","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T11:30:30","slug":"neck-shoulder-stiff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebodymatters.co.uk\/blog\/2016\/06\/neck-shoulder-stiff\/","title":{"rendered":"Neck and Shoulder Stiff & Tight \u2013 Why Do I Have It and How Do I Get Rid of It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most common, if not the most common problem in the clinic with patients is stiffness in the neck and shoulders<\/a>. There is no pattern to age or gender and often is a chronic pain stemming from months or possibly years ago. The first issue with that situation is that people generally ignore the problem until it\u2019s insufferable. Just like any problem, get it addressed ASAP and it\u2019ll shorten the amount of sessions you need with a therapist and of course resolve the problem a lot sooner.<\/p>\n

What is stiffness?<\/h2>\n

So in my clinic I use the word \u201ctightness\u201d and \u201cstiffness\u201d for two separate issues. They generally both mean the same for patients, but as a clinician it\u2019s important to know the difference. Tightness in a muscle will limit your range of movement, sometimes due to an injury in the surrounding tissues leading to muscles seizing up as a protective mechanism. Have you ever moved awkwardly and felt your back twinge? Did you notice the next few days were a lot more limiting in tying your shoe laces for example? That\u2019s because the muscles became tighter to prevent any further damage from that awkward twist. This applies all over the body.
\nStiffness is more due to an overuse of a muscle, but not exclusively. When a muscle is stiff, it becomes harder for the blood vessels to expand and allow a smooth blood flow. This means when undergoing physical activity you will feel your body become heavier quicker, and begin to ache. The fibres in the muscles become so enclosed that they don\u2019t get enough oxygen to replenish them. In the instance where individuals may have stiffness in their neck or lower back, it can be due to holding their head up throughout the day in a static position (office workers or drivers).<\/p>\n

Why do I have a stiff neck and shoulder?<\/h2>\n

So as mentioned, working in an office or driving for a profession can be the reason you get that stiffness in your neck and shoulders. Being in a static position for so long brings an element of muscle memory to the body. If you don\u2019t move your neck on a regular day-to-day lifestyle and fix on a screen, the muscles decide they aren\u2019t needed for any further range of movement. The same applies to those fixed on their mobiles more than life itself! Looking down so often can begin to either apply stress on the neck beginning that stiffness, or it becomes too flexible and therefore weakens the muscles.
\nAnother big factor causing shoulder stiffness is stress. If you\u2019re a single mother of two children with a full time job for example, that\u2019s a very stressful lifestyle and the body will physically respond to that as well as psychologically. Some carry stress in their lower back, others in their shoulders and neck. To my knowledge there\u2019s no pattern on who gets the tension where, it\u2019s subjective to the individual.<\/p>\n

How to address this discomfort<\/h2>\n

When it comes to neck and shoulder stiffness they\u2019re very simple and easy to attack on a rehabilitative scale, the problem is a lot of people don\u2019t maintain the daily routine.<\/p>\n

No matter why you suffer, the same rehab can apply to everybody:<\/p>\n