15/02/2019
STIFF NECK
Stiff neck is typically characterized by soreness and difficulty moving the neck, especially when trying to turn the head to the side. It may also be accompanied by a headache, neck pain, shoulder pain and/or arm pain. In order to look sideways or over the shoulder, an individual may need to turn the entire body instead of the stiff neck.
Common Causes of Stiff Neck
By far the most common cause of a stiff neck is a muscle strain or soft tissue sprain. In particular, the levator scapulae muscle is susceptible to injury. Located at the back and side of the neck, the levator scapulae muscle connects the neck’s cervical spine with the shoulder. This muscle is controlled by the third and fourth cervical nerves (C3, C4).
The levator scapulae muscle may be strained throughout the course of many common, everyday activities, such as:
Sleeping with the neck at an awkward position
●Falling or sudden impact that pushes the head to the side, such as sports injuries
●Turning the head side to side repeatedly during an activity, such as swimming the front crawl stroke
●Slouching with poor posture while viewing the computer monitor or looking downward at a mobile phone for prolonged periods (sometimes referred to as "text neck")
●Experiencing excessive stress or anxiety, which can lead to tension in the neck
●Holding the neck in an abnormal position for a long period, such as cradling a phone between the neck and shoulder
