3 Common Movements That Are Causing Your Shoulder Pain

If you’re having shoulder problems that won’t go away then chances are you’re doing 1 or all 3 of these “movements” every day that irritating your shoulder…these movements irritate the shoulder and slow down healing in the same way as would happen if you were to continue to pick at a scab.

So movement No. 1 that irritates shoulder pain is associated with your sleeping position.  Most of my patients know not to sleep on their sore shoulder, but even when not sleeping on it you need to be aware of its position.  Allowing your shoulder to roll forward and come over in front of you can irritate already inflamed muscles and joints.

So, be sure to either sleep on your back or if sleeping on your side make sure that the shoulder is in a neutral position, not falling forward and balanced on your side.

The second irritating factors is common in desk workers.

You need to be aware of how you sit all day. When you‫’re sitting at your desk, your:

• feet should be planted firmly and flat on the floor or a stable footrest
• thighs should be parallel to the ground
• lower back should be supported
• elbows should be supported and close to your body
• wrists and hands should be in line with your forearms
• shoulders should be relaxed

And if you’re using your mouse on the side of your injured shoulder consider swapping sides.  You might be surprised just how quickly you can learn this.

The third aggravating factor is mobile phone use…prolonged periods of staring at our phones creates the forward, rounded and hunched shoulders that underpin almost all shoulder problems.  This postural problem is incredibly common nowadays because of the increased times we spend looking and working on our mobile phones.

Stopping or at the very least limiting these irritating movements can break the pain irritation cycle that often prevents many shoulder injuries from healing.

If you’ve already limited these movements and you’re still having problems or if you want some more 1:1 support with your shoulder, I’d love to help. You can schedule an apt by calling the office on 84319100.