Hi Everyone!
There are very few parts of your body that act in isolation to another part. This particularly applies to the shoulders and arms, which can impact the functionality of the neck and vice versa. Shoulder weakness can, and often does, lead to elbow and neck problems so keeping your shoulders and arms strong will help to keep you functioning well.
People who have weaker arms and shoulders are far more likely to injure their necks when lifting heavy items, or by repeatedly reaching overhead or lifting items such as shopping bags and luggage.
When lifting something that is too heavy, your head will often come forward to compensate and this is more likely if your upper spine is stiff. This can injure the neck by putting the shoulder muscles in a lengthened position and therefore make them vulnerable and more susceptible to injury.
Strengthening your upper body will help to protect your neck; however, there are other important things you can do to prevent potential injury:
1. When exercising your arms and shoulders, make sure you keep your neck in good alignment. Keep your chin slightly tucked in and your neck long.
2. Strong arms and shoulders will take the pressure off your neck. Build up your arm and shoulder strength gradually by keeping the load low to start with and slowly increasing repetitions.
3. Breathe evenly as you are exercising and try not to hold your breath.
Hope these tips have helped!
Deb
