The Best Heat Pack Shape for Neck and Shoulder Pain
Five shapes, one decision. Whether you want to move about, how much weight you like on you, and where the ache actually sits will tell you which one to get. Sizes and weights for all five.
Neck and shoulder packs are the biggest part of what I make, and they're also where people most often end up with the wrong one. Usually because they chose on size when they should have chosen on shape.
Here's how to work out which one you want, in about two minutes.
Three questions
Are you sitting still, or moving about? This decides more than anything else. A pack that drapes over both shoulders is glorious in an armchair and useless at the kitchen bench, because it slides the moment you lean forward.
How much weight do you actually want on you? Weight is rather the point of a shoulder pack. That downward pressure across the top of the shoulders is half the relief. But 2.5kg is a lot to have sitting on you, and it's genuinely too much for some people. If you're not sure, go lighter.
Where does it actually ache? Base of the neck only, or right across the shoulder blades? Small area, small pack.
The five shapes, side by side
| Shape | Size | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boomerang | 50 x 14cm | 1.1kg | Working, moving about, desk days |
| Medium neck & shoulder | 46 x 27cm | 1.5kg | The all rounder, most people |
| With collar | 46 x 38cm | 1.5kg | A stiff neck as well as shoulders |
| Ex-large shoulder | 53 x 40cm | 2.2kg | Broader frames, upper back too |
| Ex-large with collar | 53 x 40cm | 2.5kg | The most coverage and weight |
The Boomerang, for people who can't sit still
Long, narrow and curved, so it follows the line where your neck meets your shoulders and stays put. At 1.1kg it's the lightest of my neck shapes, and it's the only one you can genuinely wear while you type, cook or wander round the house.
It's also the quickest to heat, about two minutes, which matters if you're using it in a work break.
Get it if you want warmth while you get on with something else.
The Medium, if you only buy one
My most popular pack, and for good reason. At 46 by 27cm it drapes over both shoulders and covers the upper back, with 1.5kg of lupin doing the pressing. It's the one most people picture when they think of a shoulder heat pack.
Get it if you want the sit-down-and-melt version and you're not sure what else to choose.
The collar ones, for a stiff neck
The collar is a raised section that wraps up around the back and sides of the neck instead of stopping at the shoulder line. If your trouble is stiffness turning your head rather than an ache across the shoulders, that extra contact is the difference.
The standard collar pack is the same 1.5kg as the Medium, just with more coverage. The Ex-large collar is the biggest thing I make for shoulders at 2.5kg, and it is genuinely heavy.
A word on those ex-large sizes. 2.2 and 2.5kg is a lot of weight resting on a neck and shoulders. They're wonderful for larger frames and for people who specifically want that pressure, but if you're small framed, or buying for someone elderly, go for the Medium or the Boomerang instead. I'd rather tell you that now than have it come back.
The short answer
- Desk worker who keeps getting up: the Boomerang.
- One pack for the whole household: the Medium neck and shoulder.
- Stiff neck, hard to turn your head: one of the collar ones.
- Broad shoulders, or the upper back too: the Ex-large shoulder.
- Buying for someone light or elderly: the Boomerang, or a Mini.
Getting more out of it
A few things I've picked up from fourteen years of customers.
- Warm the muscle before you stretch, not after. Ten minutes of heat and then gentle movement works far better than the other way round.
- Look at your desk, not just your shoulders. If the ache turns up around 3pm every day, that's a setup problem as much as a muscle problem. Screen at eye height, elbows at ninety degrees, and get up every three quarters of an hour. The pack helps the symptom, but the setup is the cause.
- Try cold on a fresh flare. If you've just tweaked something and it feels hot and angry, cold for the first day or two, then heat once it settles. All of mine go in the freezer.
- Always a layer between the pack and your skin. Even when it feels mild.
On the smell, since it comes up
Wheat bags have that distinctive baked smell when they're heated, which is fine at home and awkward in a shared office. Mine are filled with Australian lupin instead, which is close to odourless. That's the main reason my neck packs get bought by people who want to use one at work. There's more on it in lupin vs wheat.
Every pack is double sided, designer cotton on one face and soft corduroy on the other, and sewn to order here in Brisbane. Have a look at the neck and shoulder range, or send me a message and I'll tell you honestly which one suits.
Questions I get asked
What shape heat pack is best for neck and shoulder pain?
If you want to move around while wearing it, a long narrow boomerang shape that follows the neck line is best. If you want to sit still and get weight across the shoulders, a wider draped pack of around 46 by 27cm suits most people.
How heavy should a shoulder heat pack be?
Around 1.1 to 1.5kg suits most people. Ex-large packs of 2.2 to 2.5kg give more pressure and coverage, but they are genuinely heavy and are not a good choice for small frames or for elderly users.
Should I use heat or ice for a sore neck?
If you have just tweaked it and it feels hot and angry, use cold for the first day or two, then switch to heat once it settles. For ongoing stiffness and tension, heat is usually the better choice.
Can I use a heat pack at work?
Yes, and it is one of the most common uses. A lupin filled pack is close to odourless when heated, unlike a wheat bag, so it does not fill a shared office with a baked smell.
