As we start to get teased by the increasingly cold days, I know for myself, the indoor project juices start flowing.

For all of you over 40 or with a history of neck problems, I have one piece of important advice: Don’t paint the ceiling, literally.

I’m not picking on this middle to older age group on purpose but I see too many people in the clinic who have developed neck strain with associated nerve impingement from this exact activity.

The reason why it hits the older population more has a lot to do with the aging spine.

In between each of the vertebrae on both sides of your neck, there is a small exit hole (foramen) for the nerve to leave through and proceed down into the arm. When the size of this exit hole gets compromised in any way, the nerve traveling through it will get compressed and produce nerve impingement or what we medically term as foramenal compression.

So, how does painting the ceiling and aging relate to this? Compression on the nerve is generated by both predisposing and precipitating factors.

Degeneration would be one of those predisposing factors. As we age, through a degenerating process, the vertebrae get closer together thus decreasing the size of the foramen where the nerve exits. Second, the degenerative process also tends to include a deposit of bony spurs around the vertebrae and possibly around the edges of the foramen.

The general degenerative picture produces a scenario where there is very little room for error around the nerve as it travels its course through the spinal canal and foramen.

Precipitating factors such as painting a ceiling, working underneath a car, watching an air show, talking on the phone too long, or reading on your side produce one common denominator, and that is sustained bending of the neck backward or sideways. This also physically closes down the foramen on one side of the vertebrae or both.

When there is little room for error in a degenerating neck, it doesn’t take long for these neck kinking positions to start irritating the nerve, especially if you are not conditioned for the activity. Once the nerve is irritated, swelling sets in compressing the nerve further and producing symptoms of referred pain into the shoulder or shoulder blade. If compression persists, pain can refer down as far as your finger tips and even include numbness and tingling.

How do we first prevent this?

I think you are really setting yourself up for problems when you take on activities that put an older neck in awkward positions. First, try to maintain a relatively chin tucked posture during activities, that is keeping your chin towards your Adam’s apple. If you must reach up high with that paint brush, use a stool to get yourself to eye level with the task, or use an extended handle on the roller so you can stand back from the target area keeping your chin from lifting too high.

More obviously, take regular breaks. A good stretch during your break time would be to tuck your chin a few times to your Adam’s Apple, holding for 10 seconds each time. This will help take your neck regularly out of the bad zone to reduce the potential for swelling build up in and around the nerve.

When on the phone, use a cradle or head-set, or simply hold the phone up with your hand not your shoulder. Try not to read on your side unless your pillow is supporting your head in a neutral position.

Lastly, if you are watching an event in the sky, or working under a car, sit back and relax a little, use a recliner or creeper.

If you think you might be at risk, avoid the potential headache and avoid the above mentioned activities.

Kevin Bos is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapists and co-owner of Sun City Physiotherapy.

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info@suncityphysiotherapy.com