Your neck contains many vital structures such as blood vessels, nerves, the cervical spine, ligaments, muscles and the spinal cord. Your cervical spine (or cervical vertebrae) is what holds your head up and gives it movement, while the muscles around your spine provide stability.

When you look up, your head - about the weight of a bowling ball - is held up by the muscles in your neck. When you work with your hands above your head, the extra weight of your limbs puts even more pressure on your neck, causing both your neck and shoulder muscles to contract to stabilise and control your head and arms.

Over time, these muscles - especially those in the back of your neck - become overused, fatigued and strained, causing your neck to become tired and sore and leading to chronic pain. If left untreated, the stress on these muscles could eventually flow on to your spine and cause spinal degeneration.

Are you at risk of neck pain, strain or injury?

Health and safety authorities around the world are aware of the burden work-related neck (and musculoskeletal) disorders have on individuals, and on society. Here are some of the main activities that have been identified as causes of neck pain, strain and injury:

• working in awkward positions where muscles have to contract and the weight of parts of the body has to be supported, such as looking up with arms above the head
• working in a fixed position and using the same muscle group over a long period of time
• doing the same task over and over again.

So if your job involves one or more of these activities and looking up for any length of time, it may be a good idea to get necprotech now. Protect your neck - and your income - before it's too late.

Sources: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, New Zealand Chiropractic Association.