Types of pain
Common causes of shoulder pain at work include:
1. Tight shoulder muscles
2. Tight upper back muscles
3. Tight chest muscles with weak upper back muscles
4. Pinching of nerves in the neck
Keeping your neck, shoulder, back, and chest muscles relaxed is an important part of avoiding these conditions or reducing the pain you experience. Your shoulders will experience less strain when they are relaxed and in a neutral posture. Stretching along with a proper workstation layout will help to achieve this.
You can click either “More stretching solutions” or “More workstation solutions” to jump to specific content, or you can scroll down and read it all.
Stretches
Important!
If you have had or are suffering from an injury or conditions in which certain movements or exercises might be contra-indicated, please consult a medical professional before attempting any of these exercises. Stretches should never be painful. If you experience discomfort, please consult a medical practitioner.
All stretches should be performed slowly and carefully and should be held for 30 seconds.
Upper Back and Shoulder Stretch
Clasp your hands together.
Stretch your arms above your head.
You should feel the stretch down the side of your arms and the sides of your chest.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
Side Shoulder Stretch
Stretch your arm across your body at shoulder level.
You should feel the stretch at the back of your shoulder and your upper arm.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
Upper Back Stretch
Clasp your hands together.
Stretch your arms and tuck chin in.
You should feel the stretch between your shoulder blades.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
Upper Back and Chest Stretch
Clasp your hands behind your head.
Push your elbows backwards.
You should feel the stretch in your chest/pectoral muscles
Hold for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
Workstation Solutions
One of the most common kinds of injuries at work is an overuse injury, also known as a repetitive strain injury. Your body can heal, but it can also be pushed past its limit. An incorrect workstation setup places your body in positions that make it work harder or that don’t give it a chance to rest. The main goal is to support your body in all the right places and keep it in a neutral position.
When it comes to shoulder pain, the positions of your head and shoulders are key elements to consider. Check if your setup matches the following setup tips to help reduce strain in your shoulders.
Armrest/Desk Use
What it affects
Tension in the muscles that move or attach to the neck
Setup steps
Armrest Use
1. Raise your armrests so that they sit at the height of your elbows when your shoulders are relaxed. They can be slightly higher.
2. Raise your chair so that your armrests are level with your desk.
3. Bring your keyboard and mouse closer to you and use your armrests for support.
Desk Use
1. Sit as close to your desk as you can.
2. Raise your chair so that the desk is gently supporting your forearms at elbow-height.
3. You may need to push your laptop/keyboard/mouse a little further from you.
*Note: The support is too high if you feel that your arms are being pushed sideways by the armrests or the desk. The support is too low if you feel like you arms are hanging.
Elbow distance
What it affects
Tension in the shoulders, neck, and upper back
Setup steps
Armrest Use
1. Rest your arms on your armrests with your elbows as close to your body as possible.
2. Pull your keyboard and mouse closer to you to help with this.
Desk Use
1. Sit as close to your desk as you can.
2. Rest as much of your forearms on the desk as possible while minimising how far forwards you push your elbows.
*Note: You will need to try different combinations to what ratio of arm support and elbow position works best for you. This is especially true if you are working on a laptop keyboard. Pulling the laptop close to you will put increasing amounts of strain on your neck, so you will need to a balance shoulder and neck positions.
Alternatively, raise the laptop up like a separate monitor and use a keyboard and mouse to fix the complications that laptops cause.