Desk jobs and neck pain often go together. Sitting for hours with your head thrust forward to look at a screen strains the neck and upper back. Adding exercise can help, but only if you choose movements that support, not stress, those areas.
Begin with posture awareness. Adjust your chair and screen so that your eyes are level with the top of the monitor, and your ears are roughly over your shoulders, not far in front. Take micro-breaks to roll your shoulders, gently stretch your neck and look away from the screen.
When working out, avoid exercises that load the neck unnecessarily, like poorly done crunches with hands yanking the head forward. Focus instead on strengthening the upper back and deep neck flexors with moves like rows, band pull-aparts, and chin tucks.
Light mobility work for the upper spine – cat-cow stretches, thoracic rotations, wall angels – can reduce stiffness. Low-impact cardio, such as walking or cycling with neutral posture, helps blood flow and general comfort.
If neck pain is severe, radiates down the arm, or comes with numbness or weakness, see a professional before pushing harder. Done thoughtfully, exercise is part of the solution, not another source of strain.