Why we hold stress in our shoulders

In practice, patients often say they hold tension and stress “in their shoulders.” Many think it’s just their imagination, but in fact, it is an incredibly common complaint with a surprising explanation.

Have you ever noticed if someone startles you, or if you hear a sudden, loud noise, that your shoulders instantly shoot up, your head lunges forward, and the muscles of the neck and shoulders tighten? This reaction is all part of the body’s natural “fight or flight” response to stress, which instantly prepares us to either fight or flee to protect ourselves from dangerous or threatening situations. Throughout evolution, this shoulder hiking response is thought to have helped protect the head and neck from physical harm by quickly pulling the head in, partly sheltering it between the shoulders, much like a turtle!

So what does this have to do with your aching shoulders at work? While the stresses of a modern day office worker may be different from a prehistoric hunter-gatherer, our nervous system hasn’t evolved to distinguish between the different forms of stress, so our bodies react to all stresses in a similar way. This is why, if you look around the office, you may notice a few co-workers deep in concentration, with their shoulders shrugged, heads sunken in and chins perched forward, “turtling” into their computers, even though there is no need to protect the head at all (hopefully!). Our nervous system just seems to operate on a “better safe than sorry” approach.

If you work at a desk or computer for several hours a day, over time, the compression and strain on the spine and muscles from this position can quickly lead to the tension and discomfort patients often describe. And, what may feel like mild, annoying stiffness at first, can eventually take a toll on the condition of the spine, and lead to more significant discomfort or chronic problems.

What can be done to help minimize the effects of stress and tension at work? The simple answer is to move more and move often. More specifically, I suggest the following tips:

• Get out of your chair 3-4 times an hour for “micro-breaks” to stand, walk, or do a few simple exercises – anything that regularly gets you out of these stiff and tense positions, even if only for a minute at a time. Getting up once per hour is simply not enough!

• Take any possible opportunity to walk: at breaks, lunchtime, before and after work. Walking is nature’s antidote to sitting.

• Regularly remind yourself to relax your shoulders and make sure your neck isn’t protruding unnecessarily toward your screen. Being tense at work won’t get your work done any faster, so you may as well try to stay relaxed!

Wondering if you will still get your work done with all these breaks? In my experience, most people report being more productive and more focused by taking these frequent micro-breaks. A person’s average attention span is only approximately 20 minutes, so taking these regular breaks can help to stimulate the brain to help you spend more time on task, and less time daydreaming.

In general, deskwork places an immense strain on the back and body. Whether you are currently experiencing aches and pain, or you want to help ensure you stay healthy and pain-free throughout your career, a chiropractor can be an important asset toward maintaining a healthy spine, and keeping you comfortable and productive at work.