Like most of us, you are probably sitting in front of a computer at least part of the day.\u00a0 If not a computer, maybe a tablet or a phone (these are even worse since you probably aren’t in an ergonomically designed set\u00a0 up for this).\u00a0 If so, you probably have had some achy neck and shoulder pain in your time…<\/p>\n
You know that achy bit of flesh between your neck and shoulders that you get people to rub?\u00a0 That’s what most people mean when they come in to my clinic complaining of this so that is what a am going to talk about here.<\/p>\n
So that bit of muscle is made up of several muscles but the biggest one is called the Trapezius.\u00a0 Usually, in my opinion, this isn’t the actual pain generator for this type of achy neck and shoulder pain.\u00a0 I think in most people it’s another muscle called the levator scapula (but really who cares – it hurts so fix it …. right?)<\/p>\n
If you have had this, I’m betting the first thing you did was rub it yourself, or get someone else to rub it for you. Right?<\/p>\n
This makes sense because massage can help work out tired sore muscles and trigger points (aka knots).\u00a0 These may have developed because of a period of overuse like sitting at the computer for a project for hours.<\/p>\n
Been there right?<\/p>\n
But it comes back…. so why?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From my perspective as a chiropractor over use certainly plays a huge role, as does posture.\u00a0 Staring at a computer or device for hours puts strain on our muscles AND joints.<\/p>\n
At some point the muscles become overtired and can no longer protect the underlying joints.\u00a0 The strain and stresses transfered to the joints begin an inflammatory cascade in the joint to add to that which is already going on in the muscle.<\/p>\n
Inflammation bad.<\/p>\n
It chemically irritates the joints and muscles further and then you get a decrease in range of motion of the joint and muscle as it is trying to protect itself further.\u00a0 There is also inflammation in there.<\/p>\n
Inflammation in the joint means there is more fluid in there.\u00a0 This gets in the way of range of motion.\u00a0 Think about surrounding your body in a thick snow suit and trying to bend your joints… same idea but inside the joint itself.<\/p>\n
Again, my perspective as a chiropractor focuses on restoring normal range of motion to the joints.\u00a0 When we do that the inflammatory response decreases and the pain dissipates…<\/p>\n
We do that in my clinic in three ways<\/p>\n
People respond to this type of treatment amazingly well – In fact in a poll in the USA recently conducted by Gallup 95% of past year users of chiropractic care said it is effective… that’s a pretty big number.\u00a0 (97% of past year chiropractic patients said they were likely to see a chiropractor if they have neck or back pain – so I’m not sure what happened to the other two percent…)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
So are you ever in front of a computer? Like most of us, you are probably sitting in front of a computer at least part of the day.\u00a0 If not a computer, maybe a tablet or a phone (these are even worse since you probably aren’t in an ergonomically designed set\u00a0 up for this).\u00a0 If … <\/p>\n