Overcoming Pain From Deskwork In Knoxville TN
Overcoming Pain From Deskwork in Knoxville TN
Clinic Hours
Monday: 8:30am - 12:00pm | 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Tuesday: 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 12:00pm | 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Thursday: 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Friday: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Clinic Hours
Monday: 8:30am - 12:00pm |
3:00pm - 6:30pm
Tuesday: 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 12:00pm |
3:00pm - 6:30pm
Thursday: 3:00pm - 6:30pm
Friday: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Let's face it, most of us nowadays spend a lot of time working at a desk and it can be a real pain in the neck! Many professions demand so much time at a desk such as teachers, students, attorneys, medical and dental office, and so many others that a common theme arises. You are dealing with chronic pain. This often includes neck pain, back pain, and headaches. Luckily, these conditions can often be managed and corrected by our Knoxville TN chiropractic clinic. Here is how Mary, a teacher, overcame pain from deskwork.
A Personal Story In Knoxville TN
Mary, who is a Knoxville high school teacher, had been suffering with low back pain, neck pain, and headaches for years. Her pain was constant, occurring at work and at home, keeping her from working pain free and enjoying her life outside of the classroom. Her work required hours of sitting at a desk, doing lesson plans, and grading papers.
Mary knew it was time to seek help when her husband noted that she was hurting all of the time. She scheduled an appointment at our office to see us for examination and treatment.
Since Mary's pain was not localized to one area, we performed a comprehensive examination. We noticed the following findings regarding her examination.
- Distinct forward head posture
- Tight, tender muscles of the upper mid back and shoulder muscles
- Excessive flexion of the mid back
- Excessive extension of the low back
- No neurological signs or red flags
Here is a video of postural assessment and functional tests that we performed on Mary. In order for the spine to work properly it needs to have proper alignment to provide motion, stability, and function of the nervous system.
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See how you perform on these tests.
After evaluating Mary, we discussed our findings and the prognosis of her condition. We addressed some of Mary's concerns, which included that she wanted to stop constantly taking medication that she felt was not helping and causing unwanted side effects. She also wanted to not be in constant pain to enjoy time in the classroom as well with her young children.
With prolonged work at a desk, chronic pain often occurs as a symptom of these causes:
- Cervicogenic Headache: As we spend more time leaning forward and looking down, the musculature is no longer supportive and begins to become tight and inflamed. This leads to a common type of headache known as cervicogenic headache. This is a headache caused by neck muscle tightness and inflammation that can be addressed by correcting proper function of the neck muscles.
- Upper Crossed Syndrome: This condition has become increasingly common as we are spending more time looking down at phones and sitting at a desk. This condition is noted by a crossed pattern of muscle tightness and weakness in a crossed pattern. As we spend more time leaning forward, the chest or pectoral muscles are tightened; the upper shoulder or trapezius muscles are also tightened; the front or flexor muscles of the neck are weakened; and the shoulder blade muscles of the mid back are weakened. This condition is very common but can be corrected with simple stretching and strengthening techniques as shown here.
- Lower Crossed Syndrome: Just like in upper crossed syndrome this condition is marked by a crossed pattern of tight a weak muscles. In lower crossed syndrome, the low back becomes hyperextended from excessive sitting causing tightness of the hip flexors, and muscles around the spine. The deep flexor muscles and gluteus muscles then become weak with lower crossed syndrome. Follow this video for tips to determine and help with lower crossed syndrome.
- Altered Joint Mechanics or Motor Control: The brain can completely change the spine's ability to move just by changing which muscles are firing or by altering the sequence of when muscles fire. This can occur in the absence of any visible injury. These altered motor control or joint mechanics can begin as a protective mechanism but can lead to chronic problems over time. Most experts believe over 80% of all chronic spine problems begin this way.
I discussed with Mary our treatment plan. We could achieve the results she desired with Chiropractic Adjustments, Active Release Technique, and at home rehab exercises specific to her condition. Based on our findings and experience with this condition, we set a goal of 1 week to have reduced low back pain and neck pain. In the following 3-4 weeks we expect to decrease the headaches, neck pain, and back pain in intensity and duration significantly.
By adhering to our treatment plan and implementing the At-Home Care Mary was able to return to teaching relatively pain free after a few days, and then was fully functional and pain free after a few short weeks.
Below is the review Mary left after her experience at our clinic
"Dr. Josh has given me my life back. Rocky Top Chiropractic has been the best investment in my health."
Deskwork can be taxing on the spine. Proper prevention is so important with core stabilization, correct posture, and maintaining flexibility and mobility. Even with these measures, pain and injuries are bound to occur. Our goal is to help guide you through these difficult times and get you back to doing the things you love to do and living a healthy, pain free life.