Practical ways to prevent neck and spine pain or injury

When it comes to protecting your neck and spine, focusing on small daily habits can make a huge difference in preventing injury. Maintaining healthy posture, strengthening supporting muscles and protecting yourself when moving your body can be key to neck and spine safety.

Why neck and spine injuries happen

While following healthy tips can reduce risk of neck or spine injury, you can’t entirely eliminate it. Whether or not you experience an injury can be based on many factors. Some can be controlled, while others cannot. The important issue is to manage your movement and posture so that whatever discomfort exists becomes no factor in your daily activities.

Common contributors to neck and spine pain include:

• prolonged sitting or screen time
• sudden spikes in your activity or heavy lifting
• poor sleep support from your mattress or pillow
• repetitive movements, which cause wear and tear

Factors that support the health of your spine and neck that can be controlled include:

• Alignment. Sitting, standing and sleeping ergonomically. This includes time spent working on a computer and even sitting on the couch.
• Strength. Maintaining the muscles in your core that support your spine and neck, as well as the surrounding muscles.
• Movement breaks. Prolonged sitting and standing can wreak havoc on your neck and spine. Schedule breaks to counteract the movements you make most.

Pain versus injury

Your neck and spine are made up of many small but mighty pieces, including spinal discs, facet joints, ligaments, muscles and nerves. All these pieces work together to help you move, but if one is disrupted, it can lead to pain and injury.

Feeling pain in your neck or spine can be a hint that you need to reassess and slow down. If your pain is mild, tight or sore, it could be the muscles surrounding your bones. This should be a cue to you that your body needs rest, and that a movement was too much for your body. You can feel pain like tightness or soreness without a serious injury.

On the other hand, feeling sharp pain or radiating discomfort can indicate injury to your neck or spine, or one of the nerves, disks, or vertebrae within it. Persistent or worsening pain, or pain that goes away and returns warrants a visit to your provider for evaluation. Catching an injury early can help get your body back on track before a more serious injury.

Daily habits to prevent neck and spine injury

Small changes in your day-to-day life can help prevent neck injury. With a few adjustments, you can keep your neck and spine healthy.

Screen-time posture that protects your neck

There are many people who spend their workday on a computer, and there are plenty that use a computer for gaming and entertainment. The key is to make sure your body is correctly aligned ergonomically to keep your neck and spine safe.

When spending time at a computer, follow these simple steps by adjusting your desk or chair, or the setup of your computer, keyboard and mouse:

• Keep your eyes level with top third of screen.
• Keep your elbows near your sides and shoulders relaxed, even when typing.
• Use an external keyboard and mouse with laptops when possible and position them according to your body.
• Take routine breaks every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day. These can be anywhere from “micro-breaks” (30 to 60 seconds) to five minutes of non-screen time. Preferably moving around and stretching your body. As a reminder, it can help to set an alarm on your watch or phone.

Phone and tablet habits that reduce strain

Adults and children can experience issues simply from the way they use their mobile devices. When using your phone or tablet, continue to practice healthy habits. It may take some time to adjust, but doing so will protect your neck and spine.

The most important thing is to hold the screen at eye level, instead of bending your neck down to view. Known as “tech neck,” this can wreak havoc on your neck in the long term.

To keep your spine in shape, make sure to alternate hands when holding the mobile device so your body isn’t constantly leaning one way or another, bending your spine accordingly.

Again, make sure to take short breaks. Keeping your body in one position for extended periods can negatively affect your neck and spine, and the muscles that surround them.

Driving and commuting tips

Even time spent in the car as a driver or passenger can impact your neck and spine. To prevent injury to either, or both, make sure you consider the following:

• Ergonomic seat position. Make sure your seat is in the right spot, with your hips back, the headrest supporting your head, and if holding the wheel, your hands and arms are relaxed.
• Short breaks. Make sure to stop and move every 60-90 minutes when taking longer drives. Minimize your body’s chance of head or neck injury by moving around and stretching.

Body mechanics that help prevent neck and back pain

To prevent spine and neck injury, make sure the movement of your body is controlled and careful for even the most basic of tasks.

Safe lifting basics

When lifting or moving large, heavy or awkward objects, make sure to:

• Keep the weight of the object close to your body, and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• If bending forward, hinge at hips and keep neutral spine.
• When moving or carrying something, avoid twisting your torso. Instead, pivot your feet.
• When possible, lift with another person or split up your task so you are lifting smaller loads.

Housework and caregiving

Even the simplest of housework activities can cause you to tweak your neck or back. To prevent injuries while doing your chores:

• Practice safe lifting techniques when moving laundry baskets, vacuuming, shoveling, and lifting kids or pets.
• Keep your neck and spine safe by widening your stance and vary the side of your body used.
• Break up tasks to keep from overloading yourself.

Backpacks and bags

Carrying a heavy purse or backpack daily can be a stressor to your neck and spine. Prevent injury by:

• Wearing a bag with two straps, pulled tight to your back and snug to the body.
• Don’t overload your bag. Keep the weight reasonable and distribute the weight evenly within the bag.

Exercise and movement

Exercise can be a great way to prevent spine and neck injuries by strengthening the muscles that support your systems.

Warm-up and progression to prevent flare-ups

Warming up before working out is key to preventing injury to your neck and spine, among other things.

• Do not skip a low impact, five- to10-minute warm up for your muscles, followed by gentle stretching for a few minutes before exercising.
• After you’ve warmed up, you can gradually increase intensity.
• After exercising, especially after lifting, it’s important to give your body time to rest and recover to prevent neck and spine injuries.

The 3-part formula: Mobility + strength + endurance

Focus on moving your body correctly, slowly and deliberately. Exercise shouldn’thurt and it’s best to start with minimal weight and work your way up as your body can handle.

Three things to keep in mind when exercising:

• Mobility. Stretch your body beforehand. Rotate and lift slowly.
• Strength. When lifting and moving, brace your core. Spend time working on your glute strength and upper-back/postural muscles to support your neck and spine.
• Endurance. Exercise comes in all shapes. To keep your body healthy and protect yourself from a neck or spine injury, spend time walking or doing low-impact cardio for overall resilience.

Sleep: preventing neck and spine pain at night

Most people spend a large part of their day in bed. Take care of your neck and spine even while you sleep by providing the right support for your body.

Best sleeping positions for neck and back support

You may shift into your most comfortable sleeping position automatically, but there are ways to enhance whatever way you sleep.

• Side sleeping. Make sure you have the right pillow that fills gap between your neck and shoulder.
• Back sleeping. Keep the height of your pillow neutral and support underneath your knees with a small pillow or bolster.
• Stomach sleeping. This may strain your neck, so make sure you have the correct pillow support to keep your neck neutral.

When to get checked: Signs you should get care

Remember, pain does automatically mean you are injured but can be a warning sign. If you feel pain or tightness, your first step is to stop doing the movement that is causing pain. Determine if you have sore muscles, or if your spine or neck pain is a result of something more.

Signs that you may want to see a provider

• sharp, radiating, or escalating pain
• pain lasting more than six to eight weeks or recurring
• pain that affects sleep, work or daily function
• pain that radiates into your arms or legs
• pain causing numbness, tingling or weakness

What to expect from neck and spine care

Seek prompt care for radiating pain, numbness, weakness, or concerning symptoms after an injury. Seeking care for a neck or spine injury doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Your first stop may be your primary care provider who can help you get started with physical therapy (the best first line treatment for spine pain). If your pain is not resolved with four to six visits of physical therapy, you also may seek care from a medical spine specialist like a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. In rare cases, a spine surgeon can be consulted if all other treatments fail to provide relief.

Care for neck and spine injuries can range from conservative to more invasive, like injections or (rarely) surgery.

Non-surgical spine care

• education
• activity modification
• physical therapy
• chiropractic care
• targeted exercise plans to strengthen appropriate areas of your body
• imaging to diagnose injury
• comfort measures like medical massage and/or acupuncture
• injections to reduce inflammation and aid in making physical therapy more effective

Surgical spine care

If all the above has failed to provide relief, then an option may be consultation with a surgeon. Neck and spine surgery can range from minor to major, depending on symptoms and location. Surgery can be used to minimize pain or correct an injury.