It’s an issue millions are all too familiar with — particularly weary office workers and busy parents.
But now a physiotherapist has spilled his secret for easing neck and shoulder relief.
Dr Joe Damiani, a head and neck specialist, has said a ‘neck hump’ is likely to blame for the issue.
A common term for the rounded hump at the base of the neck and upper back, it is located at the cervicothoracic (CT) junction.
This is the area where the cervical spine — neck — meets the thoracic spine — upper back.
The issue can be aggravated by ‘slouching’ and ‘too much screen time’, the New York based physio, who boasts 1.2million followers on Instagram, said.
He added: ‘The neck has a lot of mobility, whereas the thoracic spine has the ribs connected into it, and it really just doesn’t move that well.
‘When you lose mobility at the connection point, you can really feel it.’
Dr Joe Damiani, a head and neck specialist, has said a ‘neck hump’ is likely to blame for the issue. A common term for the rounded hump at the base of the neck and upper back, it is located at the cervicothoracic (CT) junction
To combat the issue he suggested first lying on the ground, before placing a soft double massage ball on your back — in line with your chin.
Then, after placing a hand behind your head, tuck your chin over the ball.
Move your head forward, then ‘come straight back’, Dr Damiani added.
‘Hold and repeat each rep, trying to get a little deeper, which forces movement at that junction.
‘And after, retest your mobility and see how you feel.’
It comes as recent figures suggest tech neck — a term coined for pain, stiffness and soreness in the neck and shoulders felt after staring down at a screen — now affects an estimated 70 per cent of British office workers and teens.
Unlike more obvious problems such as back pain or trapped nerves, tech neck is often dismissed as an annoying but inevitable side effect of our digital lives.
But it’s actually flagging progressive damage to your cervical spine that, if left untreated, can escalate to more serious joint, muscle and nerve issues.
To combat the issue he suggested first lying on the ground, before placing a soft double massage ball on your back — in line with your chin
Moving or doing exercises frequently throughout the working day has been shown to reduce muscle discomfort and eye strain.
It’s also recommended workers get up and walk around, or do exercises at the desk, every 30 minutes when working at a computer.
Working on a tablet or laptop has been shown to result in more hunched posture than working at a standard computer workstation.
If possible, when working for an extended period, choose a standard desktop.
But if workers must work on a laptop, experts recommend placing it on top of some books to raise the height of the display so that the eyes align with the top third of the screen, and add a separate keyboard which sits on the desk.
