Work: Neck and Shoulder Pain Part 2 written by Margarita Gurevich and published in Great Health Guide (October 2017). Are you suffering from neck and/or shoulder pain? Do you slump over when you sit in front of the computer? Could your posture be contributing to your neck and/or shoulder pain? Find out how you can avoid or treat neck and shoulder pain before it becomes a chronic condition. Read more from senior physiotherapist Margarita Gurevich as she shares tips to avoid this potentially debilitating condition. Some exercises are also included.
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GREAT HEALTH: Work Neck and Shoulder Pain Part 2
written by Margarita Gurevich
The September article of GHGTM, Work Related Injuries, discussed how certain occupations correlate with particular types of injuries. In this article, we will specifically talk about how some jobs can contribute to neck and shoulder pain.
If your work involves sitting in front of a computer for prolonged periods of time the feeling of having sore neck and shoulders after a long day’s work might be very real to you. That is not at all surprising if we analyse the typical posture of a person who is sitting in front of a computer.
GENERALLY, THIS INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING:
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sitting with legs crossed
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leaning towards the desk with a hunched back
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forward head posture
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forearms only partly resting on the table
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tense shoulders.
THE OUTCOME? NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN.
By the way, this does not mean that there is anything necessarily structurally wrong with your neck and/or shoulders. In our physiotherapy practice we often use the ‘bent finger’ analogy to explain how pain can arise from poor posture even when there is no structural abnormality. In a nutshell if you take a healthy finger, bend it back and hold it in that position for a long period of time, it will start to feel sore even though there is nothing wrong with the finger. Similarly, with our neck and shoulders, if we repetitively hold them in a strained position, they will start to get sore. If this occurs on a background of a physical problem, such as a disc bulge for example, the pain will of course be even worse.
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE SITUATION?
Your physiotherapist can give you ergonomic advice and arrangements can even be made for a physiotherapist to come to your workplace to assess your work station and make necessary adjustments. There are also things which you can do yourself, right now. For instance, it is a very good idea to set a reminder on your phone or computer, prompting you to get up every hour or so and go for a short walk or stand up and do some gentle stretches. This will immediately take some load off your neck, shoulders and back. It is also extremely important to have a clear understanding of what a good work setup is; it involves the following points. Why not try this when you are next at work?
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Look to your right…
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Make sure that the chair which is which being used has a good lumbar support; alternatively, a lumbar roll can be used.
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Push the chair right in and make sure that can also show you other simple and effective only the elbows are hanging off the desk.
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Always using a portable mouse if working on a laptop.
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Make sure that there is a 90-degree bend at the hips, knees and ankles.
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Additionally, it is very helpful to work on yourself at work. strengthening your postural and core muscles.
