Pain in the neck! (and shoulders)

Dangleman

Dangleman

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Dan
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No, not a whinge ;) (seems to be a lot of that on here at the moment?)

I was wondering if any other togs out there experienced neck/ shoulders/ upper back problems as a result of photogging? I've had a grumbling problem for a while with my upper back and shoulders but the last few days my neck has really started hurting too - So much so I'm trying to book in to see a physio.
I think lugging too much heavy gear and when not doing that sitting hunched in front of a screen for too long is starting to take its toll on me.
Any top tips to avoid these issues?
 
I carried my bag round London for 4 hours the other day and my neck was a little sore the following day.
 
Yep, broke a bone in my neck last year. Highly recommend a chiropractor ove a physio.

Now I have to watch my posture at a PC and have got a blackrapid set of straps to make sure I don't put weight on the broken bit.
 
AliB said:
Yep, broke a bone in my neck last year. Highly recommend a chiropractor ove a physio.

Now I have to watch my posture at a PC and have got a blackrapid set of straps to make sure I don't put weight on the broken bit.
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Ouch. Any reason why a chiropractor trumps physio for this sort of thing? I don't know much about this lark to be honest.

I've now booked a (private) physio appt for Monday - will see how that goes I guess.

Another question - if I need a series of treatment can you get this sort of thing on the NHS (GP referral I assume?)
 
Dangleman said:
Another question - if I need a series of treatment can you get this sort of thing on the NHS (GP referral I assume?)
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Should have posted that one in the joke section mate! :D:D:D


FWIW - I too suffer from arm/shoulder problems...some days it's irritating, other days I can barely move...

I think my problem started with spending too much time in an awkward position on sports bikes....made worse by bad position at a computer, and holding a camera/lens combo at eye level for several hours a day.

I privately pay for my physio, as and when I think I really need it
 
Wobbler said:
Should have posted that one in the joke section mate! :D:D:D
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:thinking: Was a genuine question actually Wobbler old boy. I'm genuinley clueless about such matters. I avoid doctors and hospitals like the plague. I'm assuming you can get physio on the NHS, but it's easier and quicker to pay privately?
 
Carrying my kit doesn't cause me any problems - an op-tech strap and a mini-trekker (with the waist and shoulder straps correctly adjusted) keep the weight well distributed and as a %age on my weight, it's not too heavy.

It's sitting in front of the 'puter that kills my back, so the current situation of a nearly dead desktop and me using the netbook on my lap means I'm sleeping better and am not getting through as much ibuprofen!
 
Nod said:
Carrying my kit doesn't cause me any problems - an op-tech strap and a mini-trekker (with the waist and shoulder straps correctly adjusted) keep the weight well distributed and as a %age on my weight, it's not too heavy.

It's sitting in front of the 'puter that kills my back, so the current situation of a nearly dead desktop and me using the netbook on my lap means I'm sleeping better and am not getting through as much ibuprofen!
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The mini trekker is a brilliant bag especially for the price I have trekked with it full all day on my back with no problems at all, as you say though you must have the chest and waist strap adjusted correctly. I havent had any problems as yet to be honest. If your thinking of a chiropractor be careful there are many chowboys about who will just batter you senseless for 30mins and happily take your money. If you are waiting for an NHS referall for a physio you will be waiting a while. You would be better to find a sports physio in your local area and ask them to give you a look over.

It all depends on the bag really a lot of problems come from messenger bags or anything that just puts the pressure on one side, or carrying a rucksack the "cool" way just on one shoulder.
 
Exercise more regularly.

Sorry, but it's as simple as that. The way you carry kit will affect things more or less, but in general if your musculature and physique are up to it you'll suffer fewer aches and pains.

Simple upper-body strengthening exercises such as press-ups, sit-ups and stomach crunches will strengthen shoulders and back.
Back problems for a lot of people are simply caused by carrying too much blubber around the belly, so losing weight in that area will help a lot.

Oh and anyone who claims to not have enough time - BS!
20 minutes of light calisthenics a day is all that's required - you'll see a difference in under 6 weeks.
Office workers?
Do them next to your desk any time you're feeling tense or stiff: just drop down and do 15 push-ups, followed by 15 sit-ups, then 15 crunches.
 
I don't normally have any problems but I ached for a bit after spending a full day shooting for my sister, partly from spending 14 hours on my feet and partly from holding the camera/lens/flash combo all day.
 
Dangleman said:
Ouch. Any reason why a chiropractor trumps physio for this sort of thing? I don't know much about this lark to be honest.
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Physios tend to look after muscles more and chiropractors are spine and neck peeps (At least that's my limited understanding of it)

LOVING Rob's advice to office workers. If I tried that at work I'd either get locked up or jumped! Ohhhh hang on......:D Thanks for the advice Rob! :lol:
 
AliB said:
...If I tried that at work I'd either get locked up or jumped! Ohhhh hang on......:D Thanks for the advice Rob! :lol:
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lol...a good 'jump' certainly relieves the tension...:naughty:
 
I've had awful neck problems in the past, not caused by but aggravated by carrying kit, I saw a Osteopath and it was amazing, he got rid of pain that I didn't know was there until suddenly he made it dissapear... I'd lived with it so long! Never tried physio or a chiropractor so can't compare just know I worshipped my osteo for what he maaged to do... I also suffer with my wrist when shooting all day but I think that's because I'm left handed but my right hand ends up taking the weight of the camera!
 
I'm sorry but I disagree about the physio/chiro suggestions. 14 years ago I injured my neck and was sent to see two different chiros who did nothing to help at all but put me through hell, I finally got to see a good physio who took one look and sent me for some x-rays which showed that I was walking aroung with two cracked vertibrae for 10 weeks. Apparantly after what the chiro's did i was lucky to be walking.
 
I'd agree on the exercising but I also found changing my pillow really helped - I got a memory foam one and it's really improved my neck issues.
 
My chiro is a qualified Dr and the x rays were the first thing she did. I suppose it's down to getting a good practicioner no matter what they are called :)
 
I was going to post something similar the other day,

I have a nerve that tends to get trapped in my neck & is certainly aggravated by carrying my camera round my neck. So I'm looking at a harness arrangement. I have recently gone to a backpack as opposed to a shoulder bag which has helped a little.
 
Arkady said:
Oh and anyone who claims to not have enough time - BS!
20 minutes of light calisthenics a day is all that's required - you'll see a difference in under 6 weeks.
Office workers?
Do them next to your desk any time you're feeling tense or stiff: just drop down and do 15 push-ups, followed by 15 sit-ups, then 15 crunches.
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Hey Rob, wanna be my life coach ?
Lovin your attitude.
Sorry OP, needed to ask.
 
Dangleman said:
:thinking: Was a genuine question actually Wobbler old boy. I'm genuinley clueless about such matters. I avoid doctors and hospitals like the plague. I'm assuming you can get physio on the NHS, but it's easier and quicker to pay privately?
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I think it's a matter of luck and where you live..I had three months of traction on my neck back in 1998, this was arranged by my GP at the local community hospital in Driffield East Yorkshire. It consisted of three sessions a week for three months, not a bundle of joy but it worked...Good luck, it is a miserable place to be:shake:
 
after a [horse] riding tumble, I was advised to sleep on my back with a large pillow under the knees ... it rotates the pelvis upwards and stretches the spine

not for serious damage - just to relieve the stress of sitting incorrectly at the PC
 
I have found physios to be really helpful, chiropractors not so good. Once the problem is cleared up ask your physio for exercises you can do regularly to strengthen your back- and do them! I hope you get sorted soon.
Sue
 
trevorbray said:
Hey Rob, wanna be my life coach ?
Lovin your attitude.
Sorry OP, needed to ask.
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Ha, no worries. Altogether now...."I wanna be your drill instructor....."

I know Arkady's in the army so might let him off for his rigourous suggestions :). He's got a valid point though. I'm certainly no lard arse and am not overweight at all, but I am 'out of shape' somewhat. I think some basic strengthening exercises/ workouts are definitely needed and would help.

Will see what the physio says next week. Apparently for our first meet I have to stand there in my pants and be scrutinised for an hour. Can't wait.
 
Dangleman said:
Ha, no worries. Altogether now...."I wanna be your drill instructor....."

I know Arkady's in the army so might let him off for his rigourous suggestions :). He's got a valid point though. I'm certainly no lard arse and am not overweight at all, but I am 'out of shape' somewhat. I think some basic strengthening exercises/ workouts are definitely needed and would help.

Will see what the physio says next week. Apparently for our first meet I have to stand there in my pants and be scrutinised for an hour. Can't wait.
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I need to follow my own advice as I've been neglecting the phys since coming back from Afghan in March...getting a bit tubby already :eek:.

Most people unless they're 'into' sports or have a manual job, tend to live fairly sedentary lifestyles.
Sit in an office, drive to work, don't do any hard labour as a matter of course.
Then you wonder why things ache a bit when you walk around all day with 20 kilos of kit draped around their neck and shoulders.

BTW - you should never use the 'neck-strap' around your neck - I noticed that Nikon now refer to it as a 'carrying-strap' as litigious-types could sue if neck problems resulted.
Or you could just do an hours' worth of F-1 driver neck-strenghtening exercises every day along with the press-ups...
:lol:
 
I use to carry a lot of kit in a shoulder bag and I carried it with the strap across my shoulder.
I found this would cause me neck and back pain and since switching to a back pack, the problem has gone.
I still use the shoulder bag but only if I am taken one lens.
 
I have a lot of neck (dislocated it and now it wants to disintegrate), shoulder - because of neck, back - operated on a few years ago and hip problems.

I cannot sit for too long so use the computer laying down with it on my lap and a tablet with pen beside me.

Use optech straps and/or backpack and can manage with this most of a day - I do have to laydown every so often to stretch/relax my lowerback - which has bought me some strange looks and comments at the WHF and Hastings meets occasionally but it keeps me upright for the rest of the day so is worth it.

When my neck got so bad I could not turn my head my GP lent me a book of exercises on the Alexander Technique - provided I am careful I now have more mobility in my neck than most people without a problem by continuing with the exercises.

Most of your problems could be postural, is your screen at the optimum height - ie eye level and your keyboard so you can bend your elbows and rest your wrists on the keyboard/desk or do you hunch over it. Try and walk and sit upright, relaxed but upright, do you walk hunched over or upright ?
 
Kerioak said:
If I think of you and FB recently the things that spring to mind seem mostly to do with food or drink , wonder if there is a connection :D
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I concede that being back in the land of beer, sausage and chocolate may have had some bearing on things...:lol:
 
I've got a bit of a niggling collarbone from a whopping Mountain-Bike crash when I was 15. As such some bags and harnesses really aren't comfortable for me.

when I'm out and abotu I try to get everything I want to take into my Tamrac Adventure6 (their smallest), which is a fantastically comfortable little bag and comes highly recommended.

As for shooting, I can get tired towards the end of a long day, but as with all these things, small breaks and stretched at regular intervals prevents anything becoming a problem.

Also, I'm going to bee told that at 22, I'm not allowed to have any complaints, arent' I? :(
 
footman said:
Looking at your camera you're carrying almost 3lbs around your neck if you use a conventional strap.

I have started using a QuickStrap and I have found that my neck strain has reduced considerably.

http://digital-photography-school.com/r-strap-by-blackrapid-camera-strap-review
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You're not wrong. A D3 with a 70-200 and a speedlight is pretty weighty. Maybe I should sell up and just get a GF1 or something ;)

Seems I'm not alone in this problem though, which makes me feel a tad better...
 
AliB said:
Physios tend to look after muscles more and chiropractors are spine and neck peeps (At least that's my limited understanding of it)

LOVING Rob's advice to office workers. If I tried that at work I'd either get locked up or jumped! Ohhhh hang on......:D Thanks for the advice Rob! :lol:
Click to expand...

hmm
I would not trust a chiropractor especially after the Simon Singh incident (google it). A lot of chiropractors will claim things that are simply not true. There have been many complaints upheld against chiropractors by the ASA.

I broke a very major bone the physio I got was brilliant nearly back to normal after just over 2 years.
 
I have a muscle wasting disease which means I get aches from carrying a large camera bag filled with kit, but I love the challenge
However I have to agree with Rob, plenty of exercise and gym work have slowed my disease and even long walks will help keep you fit and supple.
 
I weighed my bag last week and it's 2st 3lbs!

OK so I'm not half way up a mountain with it and I do decant into smaller bags for when I need to travel light. I also use a rolling case if I need to go on public transport with it all but for wedding work I need to be able to shift it all and get up and down stairs quickly.

I have a city centre one coming up and the pre wedding planning dictates that the gear gets left at the hotel and 2 cameras, 2 lenses one flash and a reflector are coming with me. So 2 bags required. :)
 
I suffered badly with neck and shoulder pain too when carrying anything on my shoulders for any length of time. In the end I got a Lowepro Inverse 200 AW beltpack. Not looked back since I've been using it. Carries a D300s with 16-85 attached and a 70-300, plus filters and a few bits and bobs very comfortably for a days walking and shooting.

I only got it to give it a try and see how I'd get on with a beltpack. It was inexpensive and does a job for now; maybe look at the ThinkTank system in future when funds allow.
 
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