Written by: Sofia Lahtinen, Lead Instructor at the Maternity Exercise Academy. Sofia is a physical therapist and personal trainer by training and specializes in coaching women as well as in psychophysical physical therapy, among other areas. Commercial partnership.
Tension neck and back pain are the most common musculoskeletal problems affecting people of working age. As many as 80% of adults experience some form of back pain during their lifetime.
The symptoms are usually mild, but various forms of tension and pain can cause a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, a feeling of heaviness, or difficulty and discomfort when supporting the body.
Causes of Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain often stem from a variety of factors related to workplace ergonomics, a lack of exercise, or muscle tension and weakness. Stress is often overlooked, yet it can surprisingly be the underlying cause of many types of pain.
How does stress affect neck and back pain?
On a neurological level, stress means that the sympathetic nervous system has taken control of the body. In this state, the body is, as it were, in “fight-or-flight” mode, even though there is no actual danger.
When under stress, the body regulates its vital functions so that the muscles tense up, the heart rate increases, and breathing quickens—as if we were ready to flee at a moment’s notice. Similarly, digestion is largely put on hold because there is neither time nor resources for it.
A prolonged state of stress essentially means that the body is tense, stiff, and breathing is shallow, as the body lacks the sense of safety and peace needed to relax.This means that shallow breathing occurs, causing the muscles in the neck and shoulder area to do the work of breathing—a function for which they are not designed. If this continues for a long time, it causes unnecessary pain in the neck and shoulder area, and the back also exhibits symptoms of this.
How can I get rid of stress-related neck and back pain?
One of the most important ways to manage stress-related symptoms is definitely to identify stressors in daily life and actively address them. However, various types of exercises can also help calm the nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system—that is, the body’s restorative functions.
Various types of breathing and physical conditioning exercises work wonders for this. Muscles also need active, pumping movement so that waste products that contribute to inflammation can be flushed out of the body, thereby alleviating stress at the physical level.
Exercise is an important part of pain management. A single session of exercise lowers blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity, enhances sleep, reduces anxiety, and boosts cognitive function—after all, the best ideas often come while out for a run. The benefits of exercise are even greater when it’s done regularly.
Here are a few tips for relieving symptoms:
- Move your body gently > increases a sense of security and body awareness.
- Focus on mobility exercises > to boost the elimination of waste products from the body (which cause pain).
- Strengthen critical areas > Insufficient muscle strength puts stress on the body—we end up straining ourselves more during everyday activities.
- Learn deep diaphragmatic breathing > this activates the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve.
- Take a few days off and add more exercise sessions > sitting still for long periods puts a strain on the body—the body needs movement; it is designed to move.
Recommendation: The Posture Power program to help relieve stress-related neck and back pain
The Posture Power program from the Maternity Exercise Academy was developed to help relieve stress-related neck and back pain. The program focuses on caring for and strengthening the body, as well as finding the right breathing technique to help the body return to a state of balance and alleviate pain.
The Posture Power program includes five different exercises designed by physical therapists. The exercises strengthen the neck and shoulder area and the back, relieve muscle tension, increase flexibility, and make breathing easier.
Use the code EFLL24 to get a 10 € discount on the Posture Power program through the end of November.