Desk job, sore neck: what actually helps
If your neck and shoulders are tight by mid-afternoon, you're in good company. Here's what the evidence says about posture, desk setup and exercise, without the guilt trip.
Neck pain is one of the most common complaints among people who work at a computer. It's tempting to blame "bad posture", but the picture is more forgiving than that, and the most effective fix isn't a new chair.
Posture: less about perfect, more about variety
Research hasn't found one correct posture that protects everyone from neck pain. What necks seem to dislike is staying in any single position for hours, good or bad. The best posture is your next one: shift, stand, stretch and move regularly through the day.
What the research supports
A 2018 review of workplace programs for office workers with neck pain found the strongest support for strengthening exercises, particularly for the neck and shoulders, with more benefit for people who did them more consistently. The evidence for changing desk equipment on its own was weaker.
So a good desk setup is worth having, but it works best alongside regular movement and a bit of strength work.
Five things worth doing
You don't need to do all five perfectly. Pick the one or two that are easiest to stick with and start there.
Small changes that add up
- Move every half hour or so. Set a quiet reminder. Stand up, roll your shoulders, look around the room. Thirty seconds is enough.
- Set the screen up once, properly. Top of the screen at about eye level, roughly an arm's length away, with the keyboard close enough that your elbows stay by your sides. If you work on a laptop all day, a separate keyboard and a stand make a big difference.
- Strengthen your neck and shoulders. A few minutes of resistance-band rows, shoulder-blade squeezes and chin tucks, several times a week. We can show you a routine that suits you.
- Watch the phone. Hours spent looking down at a phone add up. Bring it up towards eye level, and take long calls on speaker or a headset.
- Look at sleep and stress. A pillow that keeps your neck level with the rest of your spine helps. So does noticing when stress has your shoulders up around your ears.
When to get it checked
- Neck pain that has lasted more than a couple of weeks, or keeps coming back
- Headaches that start at the base of the skull
- Pain, tingling or numbness travelling into the arm or hand
- Neck pain that began after an accident or a fall
How we help
We assess how your neck and upper back are moving, treat what we find with hands-on care, and give you a short exercise routine to keep things settled. There's more detail on our neck pain page.
Book an appointment online or call us on 0406 405 958.
This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for an individual assessment. Talk to a registered health practitioner about your own situation.
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Neck still sore after trying all that?
Get it assessed at our Edgeworth clinic. No referral needed.