Weekend Plus Desk :
A lot of people who run to get in shape and stay fit, at times experience intense neck and shoulder pain. After pounding the pavement for 2-3 miles, they experience an unusual discomfort in their upper body, which often leaves them baffled. Well, it is obvious that your legs will hurt after a long run as they performed most of the functions during this time, but the neck and shoulder pain are uncommon.
But then why some people still complain about the upper body pain after running? Read on if you want to know the answer:
The real reason
Tuns out, neck and shoulder pain indicates that your upper-body posture was incorrect while you were running. By compromising your upper-body posture, you are putting unnecessary strain on your neck and shoulder that leads to muscle soreness.
You don’t only have to maintain your posture while lifting weights or performing pushups, correct body form is essential for every kind of exercise you are doing. Neglecting your upper-body posture can also become a problem when you are running to stay fit.
Slouching, jutting your head outward, and rounding your shoulders forward are some of the common problems that lead to neck and shoulder pain.
Apart from this, a lack of flexibility in the upper body, middle spine, and shoulders can also add to the problem.
The correct posture
To gain maximum benefit from any form of exercise, it is crucial to maintain the right posture. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind, the next time you decided to pound the pavement.
Shoulders: Your shoulders should be down and pulled back. Do not slouch your shoulder, let is loose and relax.
Arms: Point your fists forward and let your arms swing freely. Your fists should be firm, not too tight. Clenching your hands or a tight fist can also lead to tension in your upper body.
Head: While running, always keep your head forward, chin down and your eyes should be up toward the horizon.
The bottom line
If you start feeling pain or strain in your neck and shoulders, immediately check your posture. To improve your flexibility, you can also do yoga poses like cat and cow pose, side stretch, plough pose.
Drink plenty of water and do not forget to warm up properly before your run.
A lot of people who run to get in shape and stay fit, at times experience intense neck and shoulder pain. After pounding the pavement for 2-3 miles, they experience an unusual discomfort in their upper body, which often leaves them baffled. Well, it is obvious that your legs will hurt after a long run as they performed most of the functions during this time, but the neck and shoulder pain are uncommon.
But then why some people still complain about the upper body pain after running? Read on if you want to know the answer:
The real reason
Tuns out, neck and shoulder pain indicates that your upper-body posture was incorrect while you were running. By compromising your upper-body posture, you are putting unnecessary strain on your neck and shoulder that leads to muscle soreness.
You don’t only have to maintain your posture while lifting weights or performing pushups, correct body form is essential for every kind of exercise you are doing. Neglecting your upper-body posture can also become a problem when you are running to stay fit.
Slouching, jutting your head outward, and rounding your shoulders forward are some of the common problems that lead to neck and shoulder pain.
Apart from this, a lack of flexibility in the upper body, middle spine, and shoulders can also add to the problem.
The correct posture
To gain maximum benefit from any form of exercise, it is crucial to maintain the right posture. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind, the next time you decided to pound the pavement.
Shoulders: Your shoulders should be down and pulled back. Do not slouch your shoulder, let is loose and relax.
Arms: Point your fists forward and let your arms swing freely. Your fists should be firm, not too tight. Clenching your hands or a tight fist can also lead to tension in your upper body.
Head: While running, always keep your head forward, chin down and your eyes should be up toward the horizon.
The bottom line
If you start feeling pain or strain in your neck and shoulders, immediately check your posture. To improve your flexibility, you can also do yoga poses like cat and cow pose, side stretch, plough pose.
Drink plenty of water and do not forget to warm up properly before your run.
