Last week, we talked about shoulder injuries that impact industrial and trade workers. Next up for discussion – the insidious progression of shoulder pain that occurs in the office setting. Of interest…just placing the arms, with elbows straight out to one’s side, creates levels of torque similar to that of one’s body weight in the shoulder joint. Furthermore, the forced position of the hands to a flat keyboard in conjunction with progressive fatigue places bony and soft tissue structures in contact with each other in microtraumatic fashion.
Office Shoulder Injuries
An injury of this type leads to a progressive degenerative cascade where the shoulder girdle slowly shuts down over the course of one’s work career with increasing patterns of compensatory behavior adopted to allow one to get through the work day. This is often not perceived or appreciated until a micro/macrotraumatic event subsequently occurs and fails to stabilize due to the impaired status of the joint. If one leads a sedentary lifestyle, induced passive trauma from the workplace can be as significant as that experienced over a lifetime working in the trades.
The Importance of Ergonomics
In a preventive fashion, ergonomic refinement is crucial. If you work in a larger company, your HR department may have an ergonomic specialist to assess your work site. You can also read my previous article on posturing in the workplace. There are also helpful stretches that one can implement over the work day to prevent motion loss that would enhance wear and tear in the work environment. More on that in this article. Although the concept is foreign at best, exercising to stay in “work shape” is also a crucial aspect of maintaining healthy shoulders over the course of a career at a desk.
In conclusion, one needs to assess/have assessed the physical demands of their particular job with the subsequent creation of a mobility and strengthening program which recreates the loads moved thru a defined three dimensional space at a particular speed. Once established and utilized, it’s just like brushing your teeth; a little effort goes a long way to ensure healthy shoulders later in life.