Tips for Avoiding Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a frustrating and debilitating part of many people’s lives. While some have suffered a specific injury, such as car accident or sports injury, others have no idea what caused the pain and why they’re experiencing it still. While a physical injury or accident is a legitimate source of shoulder pain for some, a more common explanation is poor posture and/or a simple repetitive stress injury from hours of misuse at work. It’s not that anyone knowingly strains his or her shoulder(s), but even sitting with bad posture over time can cause serious soreness. Check out the following tips for avoiding shoulder injury in the first place and for lessening its occurrence in your everyday life.
Tips for Avoiding Shoulder Pain
Ergonomic Principle: Never let your arm get out of your sight.
- In the car, this means no reaching behind you to the backseat! Not for your purse, your briefcase, your phone, that thing you just dropped, or the millions of things your kids drop every day. Reaching behind you without also turning your entire torso around is a leading cause of torn rotator cuffs. Thus, it’s important to eliminate this movement all together by keeping essential items within easy front seat reach and training your children to ask for things while you are stopped and can turn your body, too. It takes time to develop these habits, but they’re worth it!
- At the gym or when exercising, make sure you warm up and cool down properly. Good stretching and a slow start and finish to your work-out will help you not strain your shoulder, or any other muscle, tendon, or joint for that matter. Your overall health is worth a few extra minutes of stretching.
- When working, practice good ergonomics. Instead of warming up and cooling down, take stretch breaks in which you slowly and gently stretch out tight muscles, including your arms and shoulders. Additionally, remember not to over-extend your reach when grabbing things from your desk, printer, or briefcase. Move your entire body to reach it if it’s too far. Lastly, certain ergonomic products, such as an adjustable ergonomic chair or keyboard and mouse, are great for maintaining good posture that will will help you avoid repetitive stress injuries. They are well-made and designed for comfort and minimal movement so that your body stays healthy. The key is adjustability so you can find the best fit for you.
- If you already are experiencing shoulder pain, try to avoid whatever actions cause the pain. You can also apply heat or cold, but not directly on the skin and only for 10-15 minutes at a time. Rotating between the two is best. If the pain continues, talk to a doctor about your options and if there’s a med you can take.
Shoulder pain can occur at any time and is usually the result of an injury or a repetitive stress injury at work. Try these tips to avoid and lessen shoulder pain.