Two Very Different Sources of the Same Complaint
Summer brings a specific pattern of neck pain into Back 2 Health Chiropractic. Some of it comes from long road trips out of Lubbock, hours in a car seat with the head angled toward a window or craned forward to see the road, and some of it comes from the opposite problem: people working through summer at a desk, often with a setup that’s less ergonomic than what they had during the rest of the year because a kid’s home from school and the workspace has shifted to a kitchen table or a laptop on the couch. Dr. Brett Chavez, D.C. sees both patterns show up in the same season.
What Prolonged Car Seating Does to the Neck
A long drive puts the cervical spine in a sustained, mildly forward-flexed position for hours at a time, especially with a headrest that doesn’t properly support the natural curve of the neck. That sustained position loads the joints at the base of the skull and the muscles running down the back of the neck differently than normal daily activity, and it’s compounded by vibration from the road and the static nature of the posture, since there’s little opportunity to shift positions the way a person naturally would throughout a normal day.
What a Casual Summer Desk Setup Does
A laptop on a coffee table or a kitchen chair without back support tends to push the head forward and down, the same posture that’s been linked to increased load on the cervical spine for every inch the head moves forward of its neutral position over the shoulders. A summer without the more supportive setup someone might have at their regular desk often means weeks of accumulated strain on the same handful of neck and upper back muscles.
How Dr. Chavez Evaluates Neck Pain
The evaluation looks at range of motion, palpates for restricted segments in the cervical spine, and checks whether pain refers into the shoulders or head, which can indicate involvement of specific nerve roots or contribute to tension-type headaches. Where the pain is coming from, and whether it’s mechanical, muscular, or a combination, shapes the treatment plan directly.
Treatment That Fits the Actual Cause
- Chiropractic care to restore mobility to restricted segments in the cervical and upper thoracic spine
- Massage therapy to release the chronically tight upper trapezius and suboccipital muscles that build up with sustained forward postures
- Professional stretching to address the shortened chest and neck musculature that develops with prolonged forward positioning
Practical Adjustments for the Rest of Summer
For road trips, Dr. Chavez recommends stopping every couple of hours to walk and move the neck through its full range, and adjusting the headrest to actually support the neck’s natural curve rather than pushing the head forward. For a temporary summer desk setup, even a simple fix like propping a laptop up to eye level and using a chair with back support makes a real difference over weeks of use.
If neck pain has settled in after a long drive or a summer of working somewhere less supportive than usual, schedule a visit with Dr. Chavez at Back 2 Health Chiropractic in Lubbock.
