Eight ways to relieve shoulder pain

Shoulder tightness and pain are common during office work or labor. These discomforts are related to working posture and workload. In addition, mental stress caused by work tasks and a sense of urgency are also important causes of muscle tightness and pain. We recommend a comprehensive approach of shoulder stretching exercises, self-massage, and mental stress management to relieve shoulder pain.

1. Put your hands on your shoulders, slide and circle, relax your neck and shoulders. Sit down, put your hands on your shoulders, tilt your head back, inhale and shrug your shoulders, and exhale and rotate your upper limbs in circles. You can feel the muscles on your shoulder blades being squeezed. Do this for about 5 seconds each time, 5 to 10 times in a set. Repeat several times a day.

2. Do a quick shoulder and neck stretch during work breaks. Shoulder stretch: Sit or stand, place the opposite hand behind the upper arm, cross-stretch the shoulder and back, and do it alternately. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat 3 to 5 times per set.

Neck stretch: Sit or stand, and place your hands on the back of your head. Relax your neck, let your head fall back naturally, and hold it with your fingers. Keep stretching for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, use your fingers to gently push your head back. Repeat 3 to 5 times per set. You can do it multiple times a day.

3. Massage your shoulders and neck with your fingers. Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath. Then use your fingertips to make small circles, starting from the top of your shoulder blades and massaging from both sides to the top of your neck. Press hard, but don't cause yourself any substantial pain. This set of movements can be done at any time, or you can do it every hour, or whenever you need it, such as doing a self-massage away from the computer screen.

4. Use a ball massage to relax your shoulders. Stand with your back against a wall. Place a tennis ball (or similar ball) between the wall and your shoulders, next to your spine. Slowly roll the ball until you find the point of tension or pain. Hold it still and apply appropriate pressure for a few seconds. When you feel relaxed, you can move to the opposite side in the same way. But be careful not to press the ball on the spinous process of the spine. You can do this set of movements whenever you need.

5. Ask a friend or family member to relax the upper and inner sides of your shoulders. Lie on your side with your upper limbs relaxed beside you. Ask a friend or family member to find the location of muscle tension or soreness (Ashi points) from the inner upper edge of the triangular shoulder blade, beside the spine, and along the inner edge of the shoulder blade downwards. Then use your fingers to press hard and make circular massages to help you relax the tense shoulder area.

6. Ask a therapist or massage technician to give you a massage. If the shoulder tension and pain still cannot be relieved through the above self-help methods, you can seek help from a therapist or massage technician from a professional institution.

7. Breathing exercises can relieve mental stress. Reduce stress and anxiety through meditation. Meditation can take many forms - deep breathing exercises, mindfulness exercises, visualization meditation, guided meditation, etc. If you really don't have time to meditate, then do a simple breathing exercise.

When you are under great psychological pressure, your neck and shoulders are prone to tension. Sometimes a simple breathing exercise can have a great relaxing effect. Close your eyes and breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 5. Hold your breath for a count of 1 or 1, 2, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 1 to 5.

8. Fight stress with aerobic exercise. Brisk walking or cycling (outdoors or in the gym) has many health benefits, including the release of stress-fighting endorphins. Moderate aerobic exercise is recommended - during which you breathe faster and sweat more, which helps relieve stress. If conditions allow, it is recommended to exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Brisk walking is also a good way to exercise when you feel stressed and the resulting shoulder tension.

If you have tight shoulders, be sure to stretch them beforehand. This is especially important before you do sports that use your arms, such as swimming, badminton, and tennis.

Tips Before starting a new exercise regimen, consult your doctor, especially if you have shoulder or neck pain and muscle tension. The best way to get rid of shoulder tension is to "attack" it from all angles at once, combining stress management with stretching, exercise and massage. If you have shoulder tension and soreness that doesn't go away, gets worse, or limits the movement of your head, neck or shoulders, seek treatment from a specialist. Your doctor will conduct a detailed assessment of your shoulder condition and treat it accordingly.