For quite a while at work, I’ve been getting a really annoying (and quite acute) pain in my upper right shoulder, feels kind of in the middle of my right trapezius (more towards the neck than exact middle actually, thinking about it). It’s a really sharp ‘burning’ or ‘hot spot’ kind of constant pain, can be relieved by stretching (right arm behind back, pulling down with left arm and bending neck to the left). But it comes back fairly quickly…

’tis really bugging me, so any ideas on cause and possible fixes appreciated 🙂

ouch, it still hurts… 🙂

A big chip.

ha ha… I don’t have a chip on my shoulder, others might though… 🙁

must be that new bike, as a nurse i’d have to suggest giving me the bike

at work you say?

desk job? tell us more, might be posture related

yep, desk job. Sitting on a funky wave stool thing, which seems to be good for me back, but this annoying twinge in my shoulder is peeing me off 🙁

I have similar, and I’m 99% sure it’s posture related.

Is it on the same side as your ‘mouse arm’? Also, do you crane your neck forward e.g. looking at the keyboard or documents flat on your desk?

Does a stretch like this help (with chin tucked in):

Posture.

sounds like a ULD (upper limb disorder) from poor posture and/or bad workstation set up.

You got a health & safety bod in your company? If so get them to do a workstation and posture analysis on you.

Are you right handed? Take a pic of your desk and post it up, might be able to help if you dont have access to any h & s.

It might also be PAHSD (post ashes hammering stress disorder), quite common in oz at the mo. 😉

dont trust the advice of IT professionals…. trust me, i’m awesome. its your bike…. give me your mojo. remember that bike you ahd when you were a kid? well do you remember it giving you neck pain…. no? well there’s your answer, get on ebay and buy an old bike, donate the mojo to me x

Are you at a computer all day? Have you had a workstation assessment?

Could well be from using the mouse. Something simple like a wrist support on teh mouse pad may be enough or a tracker ball rather than a traditional mouse. Maybe your desk/ screen are at the wrong height or your mouse is just too close/far away from you causing you to lean on your arm?

Don’t ignore it and get an assessment done. I’m sure there will be a basic version you can do yourself online if you don’t have a H&S person who will do it/ arrange for it to get done.

One of your ribs isnt moving as well as it should and is causing pain inhibition. Where do I claim my fiver?

I really must learn to type faster, so much happens round here while I’m typing…

Ebola? Bad AIDS?

Have you recently upped your Vitamin-P consumption?

You got a health & safety bod in your company? If so get them to do a workstation and posture analysis on you.

I was getting a lower back pain which I attributed to working at a desk all day…I also used to get the same twinge that you descibe. I told the health and safety lady and she sent me a picture showing me how to sit – didn’t help at all.

So I got the one of the PAs to buy me one of those back supports that pregnant ladies use. It has a lumbar padded support and a vertical padded support that goes up my spine. I don’t get the back pain anymore…well I haven’t had it for ages.

Ebola? Bad AIDS?

Nonsense, that’s just scare mongering. Possibly cat aids…or the plague.

I told the health and safety lady and she sent me a picture showing me how to sit – didn’t help at all.

let me guess, the picture showed someone sitting bolt upright?

a proper posture assessment takes into consideration all of the personal factors including eyesight, lighting, reach, equipment, pre-existing conditions etc.

let me guess, the picture showed someone sitting bolt upright?

That’s the one.

Agree with TJ, it’s most likely posture. My wife who is a advanced pilates instructor recons your pelvis is probably out of alignment. You would need to see an osteopath to re-align the pelvis and then do exercises to to strengthen and keep the pelvis stable. Not a quick fix unfortunately, stretching only alleviates the pain, doesn’t fix the problem.

Is it on the same side as your ‘mouse arm’?

yep, I’m right handed.

Also, do you crane your neck forward e.g. looking at the keyboard or documents flat on your desk?

Fairly good touch typer so don’t really need to look down at my keyboard. No documents on my desk (well, a notepad, but I’m not constantly looking at it). Monitor straight in front of me, about 40cm away from eyes, set up as high as it will go with the my eyelevel being about 1/3 of the way from the top of the screen (if this makes sense)?

Does a stretch like this help (with chin tucked in)

Yep, does relieve it for a bit (works better if I stick my right hand behind my back and use the left to pull it across and down whilst bending my neck to the left, with chin tucked in)

You got a health & safety bod in your company? If so get them to do a workstation and posture analysis on you.

Unfortunately not, we’re a pretty small business… Here’s a pic of my rather basic setup 🙂

IMAG0407.jpg by ten_sim, on Flickr

Have you recently upped your Vitamin-P consumption?

I have indeed, do you think it’s somehow related? 🙁

Are you a pirate? Do you own a particularly obese parrot?

ok, cool

1. get a proper chair thats appropriate for your height and that can be adjusted in both the vertical and horizontal plane

2. get a footrest, this will put your feet up slightly and encourage you to sit back, putting less pressure on your lower back and reducing that amount of static muscular compression in your shoulders. If you want to see what SMC feels like hold your arm out at 90 degress for a couple of minutes, that burning sensation is most like what you’ve done over time to your shoulder, interspersed with over extension of your arm.

3. Experiment with bringing your monitor a little closer

4. Ensure that your mouse arm isn’t overly extended, ensure there’s a good bend of the elbow

Obviously if you catch syphylis as a result of my advice you’ve only got yourself to blame.

I’d visit a good physio. They’ll be able to treat the acute pain you’re currently suffering and advise on posture and stretching to prevent its recurrence. In the short-term, I’d swap the mouse to your other hand.

its an outstretched arm thing, I’ve got it. Go get physio before its to late ! Basically you’ve torn/overused a muscle in ya back and because you keep on using it it won’t heal (scar tissue on scar tissue = bad times) I’ve had mine for ten + years and its borked for life

HTH

as the new bike is fully cushioned I’d suggest it is not the root cause

must be typing so much on internet fora – telling all who will read about that new bike, i’m not a nurse etc is I think, the correct diagnosis
😉 and indeed 😀

Seriously though – as said above – get it looked at, get your posture sorted etc – don’t want to be taking time off the bike… let alone anything else!