Sitting Too Long? Try 3 Simple Stretches to Fix Upper Back and Neck Pain

Most people will wake up, get ready, drive to work, and sit for most of the day. They will then come home and feel so exhausted that they will immediately sit down in front of the TV and enjoy some much needed relaxation time with their favorite television show. Unfortunately, all this sitting is the norm. And it’s killing us.

Research has found “…that U.S. life expectancy drops by 2 years when people sit for more than 3 hours a day, and another 1.4 years for watching TV more than 2 hours a day.” (1)

And this is only the beginning. The result? Pain.

But you can fix upper back and neck pain. Here’s the connection…

Sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause the following issues: (2)

A Slower Metabolism
Obesity
Diabetes
An Increased Risk of Heart Disease
Rheumatic Disorders
Chronic Back or Neck Pain
Compromised Posture

However, these problems are easily fixed if a person makes an effort to move around during the day instead of staying stationary. In fact, you can fix upper back pain sometimes just by not sitting so much.

Here are some simple things a person can do to reduce daily sitting time: (3)

Stand while talking on the phone, or pace.
Take the stairs.
Take a short walk after lunch.
Set an alarm to refill your water bottle and stretch once every hour while working at a desk.
Walk to coworkers and talk to them instead of sending an email.
Stand up or exercise while watching TV.

You can also improve back strength and fix upper back and neck pain by stretching the back and neck muscles.

With only the use of a foam roll, the man in this video, below, demonstrates 3 simple stretches that will bring your back and neck back to optimal health.