Modern life and particularly the pandemic have increased the number of people who are suffering from tight hips and shoulders which leads to back pain and discomfort. 

The main cause for this increase is that we are all sitting continuously for longer periods than we are designed for. Many of us have spent the last year on devices – phones, tablets, laptops – for longer periods than normal. 

Terms like ‘text neck’ are becoming all too familiar. ‘Text neck’ is the term used to describe the posture formed by leaning forward and stressing muscles while using your phone, tablet, laptop or other devices. This posture often results in cervical and shoulder pain, stiffness, headaches and thoracic hyperkyphosis or hunching. This increases pressure on the neck and shoulders and the lower back, closing the front of the body. As a result, there is a rounding of the shoulders, shortening and tightening to the muscles at front and back of the shoulders. 
 

Continuous sitting for long periods means we tend to end up slumping and sinking into our lower back which in turn causes tightening of the hamstrings and shortening the hip flexors.  Over the last year physiotherapists, physical therapists, chiropractors and amatsu therapists have all noticed an increase in demand for their services.

On the other end of the spectrum an increased interest in building muscle definition and strength with not enough work on maintaining flexibility has also caused an increase in shoulder and hip tightness leading to back pain.