Back Of The Neck Pain

Tripod and/ or monopod There are some that are designed like a walking stick. once the are adjusted to your height the camera is right at eye level. Also harnesses, I use a harness that carries my camera(s) on my sides. Also there are hand grips that wrap around your wrist and use your are for support, it helps disperse the weight of the camera/lens.

you should do some stretching. a physical therapist can help with that. a chiro can help adjust things out of place, just tell them to use an activator for the neck. put the camera down now and then. on youtube look up PNF stretches, they do help, if you remember to do them.

don't know what you shoot with, but try to keep it under 5 lbs, that stuff adds up fast, also if you carry your other stuff, keep that light as well. all it takes is for one shoulder to bear the weight and that messes you up. carry only what you need, in a comfy bag.

usually i mess up my elbow. camera elbow, same as tennis elbow. happens when my camera is way out in front of me, shooting something over a wall or in my case a really stinky pig pen.

the doctor taught me a few stretches, not sure if i can describe them. but the first one is that you put your arms behind you, palms out, fingers stretched wide, like your grabbing something large. hold your arms out neck back, and back arched a bit and hold for 15 seconds.

the second, hold your legs apart a bit for stability, reach toward the sky and arch your back with your neck, like your praising a hallelujah and hold that for 15 seconds. do like like 5 times a day and its supposed to help stretch out all those muscles in there.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I never wear my camera around my neck but on my shoulder, like a shoulder bag.

Thank you all.... I never wear my camera around my neck either. But it is so interesting, because when I do take photos I can feel the tension in the back of my neck tightening as I am looking into the viewfinder and holding my camera! I always feel that tension... but I never thought it would result in actual pain.... I never knew what was causing it, until now, because I have not taken a single photo in about 2 months!!!! It must be an age thing... I am not young anymore... Bill... I simply cannot carry a tripod around with me either... Yes, that would definitely relieve the neck pain from holding up the camera to my eye, but the weight of that may cause other issues... hehe. Thank you Mike, you are so right!

I wonder if perhaps it’s not the weight of the camera but rather eye strain, I was having problems, got new glasses and no more problems, good luck.

TL Mair

Diana, is your vision ok? Are you subconsciously straining to see, and thereby straining your neck forward?

(typing at the same time as TL :)

I noticed back pain a couple years back on a cruise when my wife and I walked around all day. I use a camera bag and always carried it on my left side - my right side started having pain. I tried switching the bag from left to right to left about once an hour. The pain is no longer there - so I suppose I was straining one side with the added 4-5 pounds of weight over an extended period of time. I had been blaming on age - but I no longer have the problem (and I am older now that when I had it).

Might you be able to re-position things periodically - and give that a try? It did work for me.