Next to back pain, neck pain is the second most common musculoskeletal problem. Approximately 15% of the population are thought to report a new episode of neck pain each year. However in office workers that figure is increased to 30-50%. While there is a significant amount of research regarding the treatment of neck pain, however little research exists regarding prevention. This is an area where office ergonomics, office fitness and workplace health is of critical importance.

In this week’s ‘What does the science say’, we are looking at stretching. Specifically, we will be looking at a 2023 meta-analysis compiling over 77 previous studies into the efficacy of stretching for increasing joint range of motion. The main findings show that consistent stretching over a ≥2 week period can have long lasting benefits to joint ROM. Static stretching and PNF (contract release stretching) have a greater chronic effect than dynamic stretching. There is a stron