Shoulders And Upper Back Pain At Work
Orthopedics General Health & Wellness
August 23, 2018
Are your shoulders and upper back sore and tight at the end of the work day? Are you surprised about being sore despite being at a desk all day?
Too much time spent sedentary contributes to back pain. Technology also plays a role. As we spend more time staring at screens and phones, our necks are craning, our shoulders rounding, and our spines sagging.
How you have your workstation set up may make all the difference. In this video, Sue Helton-Groce, Franciscan WorkingWell Ergonomics Coordinator, offers tips on how you can better set up your work station.
"The goal is at the end of the day to have relaxed shoulders so at the end of the day you're not crunched up," she said. "It's going to affect your shoulder area, down through the arms and even through your hands."
Preventing Some End-of-Day Work Pains
Helton-Groce offers these tips for improving your desk set-up at work:
- Remember to relax! Tensing and tightening your shoulders throughout the day significantly contribute to shoulder and upper back pain discomfort.
- Have someone stand behind you and tell you if your shoulders are "straight across or slightly angled down from your neck." If they are not, take time to relax and perform a few stretches.
- By using a footrest and slightly reclining in your chair, your body will automatically be more relaxed. Ensure that your keyboard and mouse are almost sitting in your lap. If you are perched on the end of your chair and reaching up to your desk area, then your body will automatically tense up and discomfort will result .
- Too much time spent sedentary contributes to back pain. Technology also plays a role.
- As we spend more time staring at screens and phones, our necks are craning, our shoulders rounding, and our spines sagging.
Learn More: Staying Healthy At Work
Read more about addressing common work-related overuse pain or discomfort in our library of articles addressing occupational health:
