Every year at this time, I notice that many of my patients are exhibiting significantly more tension stored in their upper dorsal musculature. By this I mean that their shoulders and neck muscles are tighter!
I think that there are a number of factors that contribute to this phenomenon. With the arrival of the winter weather, we naturally hunch our shoulders against the cold to keep the wind out of our collars. Even once when we have safely arrived at our warm destination, we are inclined to keep our shoulders up around our ears.
Some of us also tend to carry our stress in our upper back. Physical stress from shovelling, carrying packages, or winter hobbies (like knitting) can combine with the emotional stress associated with seasonal shoppping (and the accompanying crowds in the mall!), driving in icy conditions or walking on slippery sidewalks.
This leads to a perfect storm for neck and upper back pain. During this season, I recommend patients take some time to regularly shrug off those winter shoulders. Here is what to do:
Shrug your shoulders even higher than their current location, raising your shoulders as high as they can reach. Do NOT hold your breath (which you will be tempted to do). Breathe in and out slowly, counting to 10 in your head as you breathe. Once you reach 10, let your shoulders drop, as relaxed as you can. Roll your shoulders forward and back to release the last bits of stored tension.
Do this exercise regularly throughout the winter. It is a lot easier to release a little tension at a time, then to wait until so much has built that you require extensive treatment to deal with your aching neck and upper back. Shrug off that winter stress pattern, surely spring can’t be too far away!