Most people at some stage in their lives are likely to experience neck pain. At any given time approximately 13% of the adult population will experience neck pain. There are a number of causes for neck pain including joint injury, soft tissue strain or more serious disc injuries. Below are a couple of tips to help prevent neck pain.

1. Find a good pillow- We spend approximately 8 hours a day sleeping so a good pillow that supports the neck is essential for preventing neck pain. In general I recommend finding a pillow that keeps your neck in a neutral position. There are chiropractic approved memory foam pillows which are a great investment as they offer good neck support plus you can adjust the size of them by removing some of the filling to ensure it can be adapted to your neck.
2. Make sure computer monitors are at eye level- Looking down or up at a computer while at work will put strain on the joints and soft tissue of the neck. To avoid this happening use a computer stand to elevate the computer screen to eye level.
3. Use a headset- If you spend a lot of time on the phone avoid tilting your head and holding the phone to your ear. Using an ear piece or headset will allow you to maintain a neutral neck position when talking on the phone.
4. Maintain full range of motion- Our lifestyles these days are very linear and often we spend most of our time looking straight ahead. Do some range of motion exercises each day where you look left and right several times and tilt your head forward and back. This will help prevent neck stiffness and keep your joints moving in their full range of motion.
5. Stay well hydrated- Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will keep your whole body well hydrated, including the joints and discs in your neck.