Tips For Minimizing Neck Pain While Reading When You Have A Bad Neck

Having a bad neck as a result of a whiplash injury, degenerative disc disease, or something similar, can limit your enjoyment of activities that you've performed for years without any trouble. While you might immediately think about physical activities that you can no longer perform without pain, there are some relatively sedate pastimes that may give you trouble, too. Reading, in particular, can be a challenge for those with neck pain. Keeping your neck in one position over the course of an hour of reading, for example, may leave you in pain — perhaps to the point that you need to seek help from a chiropractor or physical therapist. You don't need to give up reading when you have a bad neck, but you do need to change your approach. Here's how.

Hold Your Book Higher

One of the ways that reading can exacerbate your neck pain is by straining your neck because of the angle at which you're sitting. Many people sit up in bed or sit on the couch and hold their book around their stomach, which forces you to hold your neck at a sharp angle. It's important for you to change your position — namely, hold your book higher so that your head and neck are in a neutral position. You don't want to tire out your arms, so use a couple pillows to prop up your arms as you get into a comfortable position.

Take Frequent Pauses

Even if you're using better posture, a long period of reading may leave you with neck pain after a while. Just as getting up and moving around can reduce your risk of back pain when you're sitting all day, you should also take regular breaks from your reading. Get up, walk around for a few minutes, and stretch your neck a little to see how it feels. If it's sore, you may need to further change your position.

Sit Better At The Computer

Some people seldom read books, but may spend a lot of time reading articles on the computer. Whether you're using a laptop or a desktop, you should also endeavor to sit in a position that's suitable for your neck. When you're sitting at your desk, sit upright in your chair with your head and neck supported by the chair's headrest. If you're using a laptop, don't put it on your lap — doing so will compel you to strain your neck looking down. Instead, use a small folding table or other prop in front of you to get the laptop as high as you can so that your neck can be in a neutral position as you sit and read.