Why Do Office Workers Always Have Neck and Shoulder Pain?
When you go to work, you sit in front of a computer, and when you get off, you stare at your smartphone. There is almost no time for your neck and shoulders to rest throughout the day. At some point, a stiff neck became a daily routine, and the heaviness of your shoulders felt natural. However, this is not a fate that office workers must endure, but a signal stemming from their lifestyle habits.
Neck and shoulder pain is not simply fatigue. If left untreated, it hardens into chronic pain and leads to headaches, numbness in the hands, and decreased concentration. In this article, we summarize why neck and shoulder pain occurs in office workers, how to read the signals your body sends, and solutions you can put into practice starting today.
There are three main reasons for neck and shoulder pain
Neck and shoulder pain does not appear suddenly. It manifests as pain from the accumulation of small habits repeated every day. Accurate identification of the cause is essential for effective solutions.
First Reason — Prolonged Fixed Posture
Sitting in the same position for a long time causes specific muscles to become excessively tense and reduces blood circulation. The muscles supporting the neck and shoulders must continuously bear the weight of the head (approximately 5–6 kg). If the same posture is maintained for more than an hour, the muscles stiffen, and pain begins. Considering that the average daily sedentary time for office workers reaches 9 to 11 hours, it would actually be strange if neck and shoulder pain did not occur.
Second Reason — Monitor Position and Forward Head Posture
If the monitor is lower than eye level, you naturally tend to lower your head. Research shows that lowering the head by just 15 degrees increases the load on the neck to about 12 kg, and lowering it by 45 degrees increases it to 22 kg. If the posture of lowering the head while looking at a smartphone is repeated, it leads to forward head posture, where the C-shaped curve of the cervical spine straightens out. Forward head posture is not merely a postural issue, but the most common structural cause of neck and shoulder pain.
The Third Reason — Stress and Muscle Tension
When under stress, the body enters a state of tension. The first areas to react are the neck and shoulders. As the posture of raising the shoulders and jutting the neck forward becomes rigid, the muscles remain in a state of chronic tension. This is precisely why neck and shoulder pain worsen on days with heavy work pressure. If you do not release the tension in your body, the effectiveness of stretching is halved, no matter how much you do it.
What Happens If Neglected — Signals from Pain
If you dismiss neck and shoulder pain as mere fatigue and neglect it, it can lead to more serious problems. If the following symptoms appear, it may be a signal that goes beyond simple muscle pain.
In cases of frequent headaches, tension in the neck muscles compresses the blood vessels and nerves connecting to the head, causing tension headaches. If you experience numbness in your hands or a feeling of weakness in your arms, you should suspect a herniated disc in your neck or nerve compression. If you find it difficult to lift your shoulder or experience sharp pain when moving it in a specific direction, there is a possibility that there is a problem with your shoulder joint or tendons. If these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it is strongly recommended that you consult a specialist.
There are five main solutions for neck and shoulder pain.
Changing daily habits is the most effective way to treat neck and shoulder pain, rather than special treatments. Let's try practicing the following five steps in order.
Solution 1. Adjusting Monitor Height
The basic step is to adjust the monitor so that the top is level with your eyes or slightly below. If you primarily use a laptop, it is recommended to use a stand to raise the screen and use a separate keyboard. Even when viewing a smartphone, developing the habit of raising the screen to eye level can help prevent "turtle neck" syndrome. The ideal distance between the monitor and your eyes is 50 to 70 cm.
Solution 2. Stretch every hour
The key is not to maintain the same posture for more than an hour. Set a timer and get up from your seat every hour to move your neck and shoulders. Simply tilting your neck slowly forward, backward, left, and right, rotating your shoulders widely, and extending your arms backward to open your chest will loosen stiff muscles. 2 to 3 minutes is sufficient. If you are curious about regular movement habits, I recommend reading 10 Minutes a Day, Movement Changes Everything together.
Solution 3. Creating the Correct Posture
The correct sitting posture is when your ears, shoulders, and pelvis form a straight line. Press your lower back against the backrest and keep your feet flat on the floor. Slightly tuck your chin to keep your neck from jutting forward. You must consciously maintain this posture at first, but it will become natural if you keep it consistent for 2 to 3 weeks.
If you do not have a chair with a backrest, simply placing a small cushion under your lower back is effective.Solution 4. Using Warm Compresses
Warm compresses are more effective than cold compresses for neck and shoulder pain. For chronic muscle tension rather than acute injuries, heat promotes blood circulation and relaxes muscles, thereby alleviating pain. It is effective to thoroughly drench your neck and shoulders with warm water while showering after work, or to apply a hot pack or warm compress pad for 10 to 15 minutes. Warm compresses also help relieve eye fatigue. If you are curious about how to relieve eye strain and digital fatigue, I recommend reading How to Relieve Eye Strain together.
Solution 5. Myofascial Release — Using Foam Rollers and Massage Balls
Myofascia is a thin membrane that surrounds muscles; when tense for a long time, it hardens and causes pain. Slowly rolling a foam roller over the upper back, or placing a massage ball on the tight areas between the shoulders and neck while leaning against a wall to apply pressure, helps release the hardened fascia. Even investing just 5 to 10 minutes a day will make your neck and shoulders feel noticeably lighter the next day. There may be pain at first, but it will gradually decrease with consistent practice.
3-Minute Routine You Can Do Right Now
If it is difficult to change five things at once, try just this right now. Three minutes while sitting is enough.
1 Minute — Neck Stretching
Slowly tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder and hold for 10 seconds. Do the same on the opposite side. Bend your head forward to stretch the back of your neck for 10 seconds. Never rotate it quickly. The key is to stretch slowly.
1 Minute — Shoulder Loosening
Raise both shoulders as high as possible toward your ears, then slowly lower them. Repeat 5 times. Next, rotate your shoulders widely from front to back 5 times, and from back to front 5 times. Blood circulation around the shoulder joint is immediately activated.
1 Minute — Chest Opening
Clasp your hands together and extend them behind your back while pushing your chest forward as much as possible. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times. As the shoulder and chest muscles, hunched all day, straighten out, tension in the neck and shoulders is released simultaneously.
Conclusion — Habits Create and Habits Fix Neck and Shoulder Pain
There are three main reasons for neck and shoulder pain: maintaining a fixed posture for long periods, incorrect monitor positioning and forward head posture (turtle neck), and muscle tension caused by stress. By understanding these three causes and practicing five things one by one—adjusting monitor height, regular stretching, maintaining proper posture, applying warm compresses, and myofascial release—you can escape chronic pain.
It is not because you are an office worker that your neck and shoulders hurt, but because of bad habits. Try tilting your shoulders back right now. That alone is enough to start your day.
※ The content of this article is for general health information purposes only. If pain persists for more than two weeks or is accompanied by neurological symptoms such as numbness in the hands, please consult a specialist.
