Tag: shoulder blade pain

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5 Tips To Improve Ergonomics While Working From Home

A lot more people are working at home lately thanks to the global pandemic Covid-19. This new situation can lead to challenges in setting up a work station which will be both comfortable and reduce the chances for strain and injury. So in this article I will outline several tips to improve ergonomics. Ergonomics means fitting the job to the person, which is important to consider while you work from home.

A drawing of a person working at a laptop on an article about ergonomics while working from home on the blog of Meriden chiropractor Dr. Erik Reich
Working from home can be stressful. Your work space shouldn’t be.

1. Practice Good Posture

Many tasks you will likely be performing at home while working will be done with your arms and hands outstretched to the front of your body. For example, typing, checking your phone, writing, using a laptop, and reading are all activities which place your shoulders and arms in a forward position. This posture is chest and shoulder dominant. This means your chest and shoulder muscles are contracted more frequently to position your arms forward and closer to center. This can lead to shoulder irritation and poor breathing patterns.

In order to counteract this predominance of the chest muscles and forward rounding of the shoulders, you should be mindful of sitting and working with your chest forward. Think of someone tying a string to your breast bone and pulling you up. In this way your chest leads in front of your shoulders and places you in a more “open” posture.

Furthermore, if you are sitting at a desk, be sure to adjust your chair so that you are at a comfortable height and your thighs are parallel or slightly higher than parallel to the floor. Your keyboard and computer should be directly in front of you, not off to the side. Also, the computer screen should be at least 18″ from your face and the top 1/3 of the screen should be at eye level.

2. Don’t Forget to Move

Even while you are sitting or standing to work at home, movement is important. If your work requires you to spend long hours at a desk, small movements such as tapping your feet, rolling your neck and shoulders, and fidgeting with your hands and fingers, can help stimulate blood flow and decrease stiffness. Short breaks to stand, pace, performs some air squats, calf raises, or desk push-ups can also be very helpful.

3. Set a Timer

If you are like me, sitting to write or type, or finish computer work, you may be prone to stay put for long stretches of time to complete the task at hand. What can be helpful is to use your phone’s clock timer or another inexpensive timer to set micro-breaks for every 20 minutes. This way when the timer goes of you have an auditory cue to get up and move for a few minutes, without becoming overly distracted.

4. Your Breathing is Important

When working from home you may be sitting a lot. Sitting places the hips in flexion and can impede full expansion of the lungs while breathing. Naturally while sitting you will tend to take shallower breaths.

Take some time to focus on deep breathing and you may notice your posture improves, your back feels less tight, and you don’t fatigue as easily. Keeping your shoulders behind your chest as previously discussed can help.

Furthermore, placing one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach and taking a deep breath, you should feel the hand over your belly move. Shallow chest breathing where your diaphragm doesn’t expand into your abdomen limits rib expansion and decreases circulation. So make sure both hands are moving well when you breath, get your diaphragm involved!

With improved rib expansion while breathing your blood will carry more oxygen, your joints will circulate their fluid to provide nutrition to the joint cartilage, and your stress levels will reduce. Good breathing has many health benefits.

5. Take Walking Meetings

Many meetings these days are being conducted remotely. There are many apps which make this possible, and when working from home it may seem convenient of comfy to sit on the couch at your chair for the duration. I would suggest if possible that you walk or pace comfortably around your house while on these calls. You may have already been sitting for some time before the meeting starts, and getting back to more work following the meeting. So if possible try and use this time to move around.

So there are 5 tips which I hope you will find helpful during these times when you are working from home, whether by choice or due to the recent coronavirus pandemic.

About the Author:

photo of Dr. Erik Reich with his son on his shoulders
Dr. Reich, Meriden chiropractor, and his son.

Dr. Erik Reich is a chiropractor in Meriden, CT. He practices at Omni Physical & Aquatic Therapy Center, Inc.  located at 303 South Broad Street. Where he treats all types of patients from high school athletes, seniors, victims of trauma such as auto accidents, laborers, and desk jockeys. Spending time with his wife and son, and their Boston terrier, is something Dr. Reich also enjoys.

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What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a profession of health care providers. Chiropractors treat conditions of the muscles, joints, and nervous system. The most common and widely recognized chiropractic intervention is the adjustment or “joint manipulation.” Chiropractors also employ other treatments such as exercise, physiotherapy, nutrition counseling, and lifestyle modification advice.

A picture of a chiropractor setting a patient up to be adjusted.
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is the most widely recognized treatment performed by a chiropractor. An adjustment is delivered to a joint to affect the motion of the joint. Adjustments also can relax surrounding muscles, and release pain modulating chemicals to reduce symptoms.

More Than the Adjustment

What is chiropractic? Well, most visits to the chiropractor involve getting an adjustment, or several adjustments. However, there are other important benefits to receiving chiropractic care. A skilled chiropractic physician will be able to identify and diagnose the cause of pain or other symptoms. Also, if the underlying problem(s) is amenable to chiropractic treatment, a trial of care will be recommended which may include patient education, adjustments, physical therapy modalities, stretches and exercises, and lifestyle advice all tailored to you as an individual.

If you present to the chiropractor and treatment is not recommended for you, an appropriate referral to a specialist should be made. Some conditions may not seem likely to respond to chiropractic treatment but many patients decide to go forward with a short trial of care, especially if they have already tried many other doctors or treatments without success.

Safe and Effective Treatment

Chiropractic treatment is non-invasive. It is also conservative in nature, and without drugs or surgery. Furthermore, there are typically few side-effects beyond soreness following some treatments. Therefore, many medical journals and societies are recognizing chiropractic treatment as a first line intervention. Especially for treatment of lower back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Also, chiropractic has shown itself to be efficacious in the treatment of joint pain. As well as tendon injuries, ligament sprains, disc herniation, and other insults to the human frame.

From the American Chiropractic Association’s website some key points:

  • DCs are licensed to practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia–and in many nations around the world–and undergo a rigorous education in the healing sciences at institutions accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. 
  • A growing list of research studies and reviews demonstrate that the services provided by chiropractors are both safe and effective. The evidence strongly supports the natural, whole-body, and cost-effective approach of chiropractic services for a variety of conditions.
  • Chiropractor’s services are included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, workers’ compensation, Medicare, some Medicaid plans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans for federal employees, among others. 
  • Chiropractors are used extensively by amateur and professional athletes, professional dancers, and others to prevent and treat injuries as well as achieve optimal health and functioning.

About the Author:

Dr. Reich and son riding on his shoulders pictured in a blog post for What is chiropractic?
Dr. Erik Reich is a practicing chiropractor in Meriden, CT.

Dr. Erik Reich is a chiropractor in Meriden, CT. He practices at Omni Physical & Aquatic Therapy Center, Inc. . Where he treats all types of patients from high school athletes, seniors, victims of trauma such as auto accidents, laborers, and desk jockeys. Spending time with his wife and son, and their Boston terrier, is something Dr. Reich also enjoys.

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Pain Between The Shoulder Blades

Do you experience pain between your shoulder blades? This type of pain can be a dull ache, burning between the shoulder blades, or it can feel like a hot poker is being thrust up under scapula. Pain between the shoulder blades is called inter-scapular pain. In fact, the scapula, or shoulder blade, is a common site of discomfort and pain. Also, this type of pain can have different causes ranging from mildly concerning to very serious.

A man being examined by a clinician, maybe a chiropractor, for shoulder pain.
Pain between the shoulder blades is a common symptom of muscle strain, poor posture or ergonomics at work, trauma such as a motor vehicle accident, and other underlying causes. Dr. Erik Reich is a chiropractor in Meriden who treats musculoskeletal conditions including pain between the shoulder blades.

Why Do I Have Pain Between the Shoulder Blades?

Some common conditions which can cause this type of pain are listed below:

  • Muscle Strain
  • Trauma
  • Herniated Discs
  • Arthritis
  • Overuse Injuries
  • Lack of Use
  • Nerve Entrapment
  • Acid Reflux
  • Scoliosis
  • Referred Pain

There are also more serious causes of pain between the shoulder blades such as:

  • Gallbladder Disease
  • Heart Attack
  • Thoracic Vertebra Compression Fracture
  • Shingles

In most cases this type of pain is easily identifiable by an experienced clinician. If you have shoulder blade pain which is persistent and has not responded to rest, a couple of days time, and maybe some hot or cold packs, it is probably a good idea to see a doctor and have your symptoms evaluated.

Furthermore, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, or feeling lightheaded, and you suspect the cause of your pain to be serious or life threatening, don’t wait to call 911 and get urgent medical care. Trust your gut.

Can a Chiropractor Help My Shoulder Pain?

Many of the most common underlying causes of shoulder blade pain arise from the soft tissues. For instance, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as well as nerves, bursa, and fascia can all contribute to shoulder pain. Therefore, because chiropractors are specially trained to treat soft tissue and joint dysfunction, a chiropractor may be an excellent choice of provider to evaluate and treat your shoulder pain.

In conclusion, it depends. However, a skilled clinician such as a chiropractic physician, who takes a thorough history and then performs an exam to rule out more serious causes of your pain, should be well suited to address the most common types of inter-scapular pain. Furthermore, the right doctor will make any appropriate referral if necessary. Such as for advanced imaging, special tests, or specialist provider.

A picture of a woman lying down prone being examined and treated by a chiropractor.
Chiropractic treatment for pain between the shoulder blades is gentle, non-invasive, and drug-free.

What is the Best Treatment?

Depending on what the underlying issue is, different treatments may be recommended.

First, patient education is vitally important in all cases. Because, patients who are well-informed make better decisions, experience less anxiety, and less apprehension about their symptoms.

For example, if the underlying cause of your pain is determined to be repetitive overuse such as from poor ergonomics at your job, the treatment may include activity and work station modifications and lifestyle advice to reduce stress on the involved areas.

By contrast, if your pain started following a slip or fall and you landed hard on your shoulder, first aid type treatment may include icing or applying heat to the area. Then, protecting the shoulder for the first couple of days, progressing to gentle mobilizations to the spine or scapula. Lastly, light exercise to increase blood flow to the involved tissues.

Next, as pain levels are reduced, patients are typically involved in more active treatments such as dynamic stretching and loaded exercises. Exercise improves blood flow to the muscles and other tissues, and improves and restores mobility and strength.

Seek Help for Shoulder Pain

If you or a loved on is experiencing shoulder pain or pain in the middle back between the shoulder blades, don’t neglect what your body is trying to tell you. Call for a professional to evaluate and diagnose what is causing your symptoms.

You may already know what the cause is in the case of recent trauma. But, you may also have no idea if the pain began without incident, “Doc, i just woke up in pain.” is something many patients tell me. So, whether you have a good idea why it hurts, or no idea at all, getting an evaluation and a working diagnosis is a good idea.

Also, getting an evaluation is an absolute imperative if you believe your pain is severe with red flags such as chest pain or shortness of breath. But most cases of shoulder pain are due to soft tissue injury or dysfunction, and can be treated conservatively without drugs or surgery.

About Dr. Erik Reich

photo of Dr. Erik Reich with his son on his shoulders
Dr. Erik Reich with his son.

Dr. Erik Reich is a Chiropractic Physician in Meriden, CT. He practices at Omni Physical & Aquatic Therapy Center, Inc. . Where he treats all types of patients from high school athletes, seniors, and desk jockeys with shoulder pain. Spending time with his wife and son, and their Boston terrier, is something Dr. Reich also enjoys.