The Secret to Banishing 'Tech Neck' & Slouching: A Pilates Teacher's Top Tip

Do you find yourself slumping over your keyboard by mid-afternoon? Is your neck aching from staring at screens? You're not alone!

• Our heads are surprisingly heavy – imagine holding a bowling ball on a stick all day! When we lean forward to peer at our screens (which is surprisingly common, even on a well-set-up desk), the weight of our head significantly increases the strain on our neck muscles. For every inch your head moves forward, the strain on your neck can effectively double.

  
  

• The Muscles Affected: The muscles at the back of your neck (e.g., upper trapezius, levator scapulae) go into overdrive, constantly working to pull your head back against gravity. Over time, they become overworked, tight, and painful. Meanwhile, the muscles at the front of your neck & in your chest, can become weak and shortened.

  
  

• Our bodies are designed to move, not to hold static positions for hours on end. Even if your posture is perfect for the first 15 minutes, sitting still for too long leads to muscle fatigue. Your postural muscles (the ones that keep you upright) eventually tire out, and when they do, your spine and joints take on more of the load, leading to stiffness and pain.

  
  

• The Science: Prolonged static positions restrict blood flow to your muscles, meaning they don't get enough oxygen and nutrients, and waste products build up. This is why you feel stiff and "stuck" when you finally stand up.

The good news? You don't need a full hour. Just 5 minutes of targeted Pilates can reset your posture, re-energize your body, and even boost your focus.

My 'Go To' series of exercises are shown on my Pilatestar Facebook and Instagram accounts, so check them out there. Briefly they involve:

• Turning the head from left to right, and then maybe adding a semi circle

• Tilting the head, ear to shoulder both left and right

• Holding the head gently on a tilt and rolling the shoulder, or else shrugging the shoulder

• Whilst hands are on shoulders, squeezing the elbows together and then opening them wide, whilst lifting the chin and chest (to encourage back extension)

• And don't forget your thoracic or lateral breathing! i.e. focusing on how, on the in-breath, your ribcage lifts and expands, and on the out-breath, how your ribcage closes and lowers. The stomach should remain slightly contracted both on the in and out breath. Deep breathing helps to reduce stress, calms the nervous system, improves core connection.

Ready to discover more ways Pilates can transform your well-being? Explore our full range of classes HERE or if you'd like to try out my video courses for just £20 or £30, you can purchase them HERE

Me having a stretch whilst on a zoom training course!