You should suspect this syndrome if you often have stiff shoulders and neck pain due to poor posture. It’s called ‘Turtle Neck Syndrome’. Recently, with the increased use of computers and smartphones, many modern people are complaining about this syndrome. Young students who spend long hours studying at their desks also put a lot of strain on their necks. If they don’t develop good habits from a young age, they may suffer from chronic pain as adults, making it a condition requiring attention.
What is Turtle Neck Syndrome?
The neck typically consists of seven bones, and a typical neckbone exhibits a C-shape when viewed from the side. ‘Turtle Neck Syndrome’ occurs when this C-shape collapses, causing the neck to bend forward into a reverse C-shape or shape closely resembling a straight line.
Head moving 1cm forward increases neck load by 2~3kg
Turtle Neck Syndrome results in a forward tilt of the neck, causing an increased load on the neck beyond what occurs in a normal state. For every 1cm the head moves forward, approximately 23kg (about 4.46 lbs) of additional strain is placed on the neck. This extra load leads to excessive tension in the neck and shoulder muscles, with the muscles around the head also remaining tense. If this condition persists over an extended period, it can give rise to symptoms resembling migraines.
Pay attention to horizontal neck wrinkles
Among neck wrinkles, vertical wrinkles can develop due to aging, where the skin loses elasticity over time. However, horizontal wrinkles are influenced mainly by incorrect posture and lifestyle habits, making them a cause for concern. If you notice horizontal wrinkles on your neck, it’s advisable to consider the possibility of Turtle Neck Syndrome and assess whether your posture is misaligned.
Turtle Neck Syndrome Self-diagnosis Method
You can easily self-diagnose Turtle Neck Syndrome by checking for the presence or absence of five symptoms. The symptoms are stiffness around the shoulders and neck / the head being forward of the shoulders when viewed from the side / the back bent / quickly feeling fatigued, headaches and dizziness / and feeling tired and uncomfortable in the nape of the neck even after sleeping. In addition, if the pain worsens when you tilt your neck back or does not go away even after correct posture exercises, you should suspect it.
What happens if you ignore the symptoms?
If you ignore the symptoms of Turtle Neck Syndrome, Mushroom Syndrome, where the bones in the back of the neck gradually thicken and enlarge, can occur, and the likelihood of degenerative diseases such as slipped disc or stenosis increases. If the neck becomes straight or reverse C-shaped, all discs must move together in one action, increasing the likelihood of disc disease.
Do you know about Mushroom Syndrome?
As mentioned earlier, if a bone protrudes between the back of the neck and the spine, or flesh on the back of the neck and the shoulders often stiffen, you should suspect ‘Mushroom Syndrome.’ You may feel muscle pain along with stiffness in the neck and shoulders, and headaches may also occur. This is because when the muscles around the neck and shoulders stiffen, the blood supply to the brain decreases. In severe cases, neglecting the symptoms for an extended period can lead to a disc issue.
Maintaining correct posture is the most important
The most crucial treatment for Turtle Neck Syndrome is maintaining correct posture. It’s essential to hold a pose with a straight back, and when sitting at a desk, sit with your buttocks tightly against the backrest and slightly pull your chin in. When using smart devices, it’s good to maintain a posture where you hold the device at eye level and look up at about 15 degrees.
Do light stretching often
If Turtle Neck Syndrome is in its early stages, light stretching can cure it. With your fingers interlocked, use your thumbs to support under your chin and slowly lift your head. Then, again, place the back of your hands against the back of your head and bow your head. After finishing the up-and-down stretching, put one hand’s fingers on the opposite ear, tilt your head to the side, and press. Reaching down with a hand not on top of your head will help relieve the tension in the trapezius muscle.
Choose your pillow carefully
Sleeping with a high pillow at night is the same as being in a turtle neck position for a long time, so it’s better to sleep with a towel or travel neck pillow instead. However, not using a pillow at all can cause the neck to excessively bend, which can cause more pain in the neck and shoulders, so it’s important to find a pillow of the right height for you.
If it’s severe, consider physiotherapy or medication
Physiotherapy is a treatment method in which a professional physiotherapist diagnoses the patient’s body and solves the fundamental pain problem. It strengthens weakened spinal stabilizing muscles, corrects the musculoskeletal system, and stimulates the lesion site to enhance the body’s recovery. In the case of medication, drugs that strengthen the weakened ligament tissues around the spine and the disc and surrounding tissues help prevent recurrence.
By. Shin Young (press@daily.co.kr)
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