The third in my series on problems the active retired face focuses on age related neck pains - cervical spondylosis, degenerative changes, wear and tear, facet joint changes, arthritis - many names get given by your doctor- but it's the pain & tightness that bothers you!
Know the feeling. A neck that’s got stiffer, sorer and generally bothersome.
Know you’ll feel it when you’ve painted a wall, loaded the car, had to do lots of gardening. All things we’d love to be doing in our retirement and not helpful to feel like you’ve constantly got to avoid things, and retirement feels like a downhill road. It doesn’t have to be that way!
Similar to the low back, X-ray findings commonly show some wear and tear but it ‘s how the spine functions mechanically that makes a difference to how much symptoms you get. Commonly the 5th and 6th bone in the neck wear the most. As well as the pain and muscle guarding, the lower neck joints and upper thoracic joints often get stiffer and stiffer. These poor mechanics are often the driver t to the symptoms.
Exercises to keep the upper thoracic spine mobile are important to do. Swimming can help or hinder, especially breaststroke.The same goes for overhead racket sports. If you feel locked up in that area ,are being proactive, and still feel things aren’t loosening off then much more can be done in terms of manual treatment and specific exercises by a skilled physiotherapist.
Know the feeling. A neck that’s got stiffer, sorer and generally bothersome.
Know you’ll feel it when you’ve painted a wall, loaded the car, had to do lots of gardening. All things we’d love to be doing in our retirement and not helpful to feel like you’ve constantly got to avoid things, and retirement feels like a downhill road. It doesn’t have to be that way!
Similar to the low back, X-ray findings commonly show some wear and tear but it ‘s how the spine functions mechanically that makes a difference to how much symptoms you get. Commonly the 5th and 6th bone in the neck wear the most. As well as the pain and muscle guarding, the lower neck joints and upper thoracic joints often get stiffer and stiffer. These poor mechanics are often the driver t to the symptoms.
Exercises to keep the upper thoracic spine mobile are important to do. Swimming can help or hinder, especially breaststroke.The same goes for overhead racket sports. If you feel locked up in that area ,are being proactive, and still feel things aren’t loosening off then much more can be done in terms of manual treatment and specific exercises by a skilled physiotherapist.