Preventing neck and shoulder pain at work

So, you have just walked out of your local medical centre. Your doctor has had a look at you and told you that there is nothing to worry about, the pain is muscular and gives you a prescription for ibuprofen. Advice is given to rest and off you go. As a bonus, you have a letter in your hand guaranteeing two days off work, which you’re glad of, since sitting at that computer has become a living nightmare of neck and shoulder pain.

You take your leave and your pills and return to work. By the end of the morning the pain is back. A sharp, tight feeling next to your shoulder blade and a shooting pain in your neck. You grin and bear it, but every time you look up at the monitor you wince.

Scenarios like this are part of modern life and modern jobs. Many of us sit for hours at a computer screen, asking our muscles to maintain the same position for a huge portion of the week, the month, the year…….. Problem is, muscles don’t like to stay in the same position for too long and if that position is unbalanced, they like it even less. As they work to hold us in our chairs, at our screens, tension builds within. Eventually a couple of little muscles have had enough; spasming in protest and causing pain. This pain keeps coming back because the overworked muscles never get enough chance to recover when you are at your computer day in and day out.

Thankfully, there are some practical things you can do at work to avoid this build up. If you have already reached the “red zone”, read on for tips on how to recover effectively!

1. Your chair

   How you are sitting is very very important:

   Your hips should be higher than your knees. If you can adjust the height of your chair adequately, do so. The effect should be that you feel your weight going through to your feet and into the floor. Your feet should be flat on the floor.

2. Are you facing your keyboard and monitor?

   Make sure your body is square to your monitor and keyboard. Your mouse should not be too far to the side either. Many people spend hours typing and operating their mouse while in a rotated position. If your neck and shoulders are turned to one side while you work, there will be major imbalance in the tension of your neck, shoulder and upper back muscles. The short and tight muscles will simply get shorter and tighter until you are in pain.

3. Your desk

   Your desk should not be too high or too low. If too high, you will have to raise your shoulders to work effectively. Your “shrugging” muscles will be tight and get overused quickly. If too low, you will start to slouch and the middle of your back will bear the brunt. Ideally, your elbows should be able to just touch the desk while you type, or be slightly higher. Experiment with relative chair and desk height. Add cushions to your chair to compensate if you have to.

4. Your mouse arm.

   Mouse control means a constant stream of fine, controlled movements involving the large group of muscles in the shoulder girdle. These muscles have to work to control and support your arm, even as you make fine gestures with your fingers on the mouse.

   Ideally, your chair should have adjustable armrests, to provide a working, comfortable support for your lower arm, taking the stress off your shoulder and neck.

5. Take breaks

   Take a break, walk around and get fresh air every twenty minutes when working at a computer. As we stare at the screen, our shoulders and necks get more and more tense, particularly if the work is stressful. Short, regular breaks mean that tension doesn’t get as much opportunity to become chronic and we are more effective in the work we do.

6. Stretch!!!

   Learn to use gentle stretches on your neck and shoulder muscles. Just moving them around gently during a break can ease the tension. If you are working with a remedial masseur or a physiotherapist, make sure they teach you some effective ways of relaxing and stretching tight muscles in a pain free way.

   Make stretching a regular activity for short periods throughout your day and it will become a habit quickly.

7. Breathe!

   If you feel tension and pain building, take a deep breathe through your nose and then breathe out through your mouth slowly and fully, letting your shoulders drop as far as possible as you do. Repeat this a few times and you’ll be surprised how high you were holding them!

8. Massage.

   Get together with your coworkers and help each other out a couple of lunch breaks a week! You don’t need to be a professional masseur to give and receive a relaxing five or ten minute neck and shoulder rub. This will warm and relax the muscles and be a great chill out during a work day.

   All of the above are important practical things you can do if you suffer from neck, shoulder or back pain at work.

   You can also seek treatment from a manual therapist such as a sports and remedial masseur, who will be able to identify what muscles need attention and give you effective treatment and teach you useful stretches to help yourself.

   NOTE: If you are suffering from persistent pain of any kind, it is essential that you first consult with your general practitioner before attempting any programme of exercise or stretching.