In many cases, all it takes to relieve neck pain is the right exercise - here's how to use a firm potato to loosen up your muscles.
Do you have an office job and regularly suffer from neck tension?
You are not alone in this.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the problem has intensified for many.
The reason for this is working in the home office, more precisely the often incorrectly ergonomic orientation of the workplace.
A British osteopath is now giving a simple tip on how to quickly remedy neck problems.
Anyone who sits a lot and works at the PC usually knows them too well: Neck pain *, which can even encourage migraines.
Sports such as yoga, Pilates or crawling are good ways to train and loosen up the back and shoulders, and those affected can also benefit from warmth or special massage strokes.
This does not always require a partner: As an expert in the field of physiotherapy and osteopathy revealed,
even potatoes can work wonders (applied externally, mind you
).
Relieve the neck muscles with two potatoes
Stephen Makinde, clinical director of the Perfect Balance Clinic based in London's Harley Street, cites tennis balls as the ideal aid in the fight against neck tension.
But even
two potatoes are supposed to achieve the same effect
: "You just tape them together and lie down flat with the potatoes placed under the back of your head. Then you let the neck relax, which helps to restore the neck position and the muscles It is so effective, "said Makinde, according to the British news portal Mirror.
The potato trick would be very suitable for relieving strained muscles caused by bending.
And an unhealthy posture contributes significantly to the fact that the neck muscles stiffen.
"We have seen an increase in the number of patients with neck problems and migraines related to neck stiffness since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown," said Makinde: "The problem is related to the posture of the upper back.
When you look at a screen and the direction you are facing matches the screen, everything is fine
. But if you look down, which is the case when you are working on the laptop, your head has a tendency to hang forward and that puts a lot of strain on your upper back.
If you have the opportunity, you should therefore set up an ergonomic workplace in the home office, for example with the help of height-adjustable monitors.
(jg) * merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
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