If you have been suffering from neck, upper back and shoulder pain, this is the article for you. Your pain could have started with just the neck, but has now progressed into the upper back and maybe into the shoulder. Or it could have started with shoulder pain and has now progressed to the neck and upper back.

These three areas have common muscle groups that cross and interact at all three areas. When movement does not happen at one area, the areas above and below try to compensate for what motion is not happening.

Neck pain can be related to the way you sleep, the position you hold your head in standing or in sitting, the posture you assume at work, tightness in your chest muscles and many other things. When you are experiencing neck pain and having difficulty turning the neck, your body will try to compensate with your upper back to create more range of motion.

Once you do that, then those muscles of your upper back and shoulders start to get fatigued and will tighten up. When those muscles become tight and are unable to do their normal function, which will lead to irritation and eventually shoulder pain.

When your shoulder is not moving the way that it should because of an injury, surgery or other trauma, your body will compensate with the upper back and neck muscles to help move the shoulder. When this type of compensation continues over time, the neck muscles and upper back muscles will become fatigued and tighten up and they will not perform their normal activities well. This leads to pain at all three levels. Since there are common muscles in neck, upper back and shoulder, once compensatory movements occur, pain is sure to follow.

Learning proper sleeping positions, sitting positions, lifting mechanics, stretches and strengthening exercises is vital in keeping these three areas happy and in their normal state. The correct sleeping position can ensure that you wake up daily without feeling pain or tightness in the neck, upper back and shoulder areas.

Learning the correct sitting position or office setup can ensure that you can perform your work duties without being restricted because of pain and stiffness. Understanding the correct lifting mechanics can help you learn how to lift something without putting your neck, upper back or shoulder in jeopardy of being hurt.

Stretching your pecs, biceps and neck muscles can really help keep muscles in their neutral state because most of our everyday activities require the pecs and biceps to be used for long periods of time.

Maintaining good muscle length and strength is vital in keeping these three areas healthy and performing well for long periods of time.