Desk Work: Why can’t I change my posture?
As I’m sitting at my desk, I’ve got a lot going on: my phone is buzzing every few minutes, I’m trying to be productive, and I’m noticing this nagging pain in the back of my neck running into my shoulders.
It’s not new, and I know exactly why it’s there, yet it hasn’t been going away. I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle with my posture.
As an RMT, I work with people on a daily basis who have work-related tension in their shoulders and neck. In my average week, I’d say it constitutes over 50% of my work. As simple as it may be to say that someone needs to ‘work on their posture’, it obviously is not that straightforward. So let’s unpack why.
Barring any medical conditions like arthritis, scoliosis, or any other condition that could contribute to your postural issues, we are most often looking at a tug of war situation with opposing muscle groups.
The Opposing Sides:
Chest, arms, and front of your neck:
These are the tight muscles.
I know, it probably feels like the problem is more in the back of your neck and shoulders, but we’ll talk about that next.
Consider the picture - everything is turned in towards your chest. That means those muscles are pulling more than the ones in the back.
Shoulders, upper back, and back of your neck:
These are the overstretched muscles.
They’ve been trying since grade school to help keep things in place but they are tired, in pain, and still working hard to keep everything balanced.
Overstretched muscles can get so used to existing in that state that they form adhesions (or knots as they are more often called), which can lead to pain, headaches and neck mobility issues.
It could be easy to say, “Just open your chest, pull your shoulders back below your ear lobes and align your spine” but let’s be real, it’s not that simple. Why? Our body is great at adapting. It’s become used to this state and it’s going to take some effort and elbow grease to make some changes.
Massage does help: If this is a goal, communicate that to your therapist. If they are registered in Canada then their curriculum in school covered this. Massage will help to address the pain and adhesions in your back, shoulders and up your spine, then will also address the over tight muscles in your chest, arms, and front of your neck. RMTs should ask consent before working on your chest wall as this is a sensitive area.
Stretching: Doing some chest opening stretches are great and will help give the back muscles a little break. I recommend folding a pillow in half lengthwise and laying on it vertically under your spine with your head supported. You can put your arms up over your head or off to the sides, then just relax in that position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can do this a few times a day if you like. Discontinue if it causes further pain and ask your RMT or health professional.
Strengthening: Now it’s time to get your back some support and add some more strength there. I recommend for starters to use the same position you’re stretching in, and add to it by isolating your shoulder blades and squeezing the pillow between them. You can hold this for 10-15 seconds then relax and do this 3 times in a row. This can increase over time as you gain strength as long as it doesn’t cause you pain.
Awareness: Once you’ve got the strength for it and you’re not fighting overly tight muscles, when you’re sitting at your desk and you are aware of your posture and your body, you may be able to pull your shoulders back and open up your chest for a few seconds and have it readjust things. This will remind your body of what it’s capable of. When you’re at this stage, you can take a few moments through your day to bring your shoulders back. You can always ask your RMT or healthcare provider for some ideas of desk-friendly stretches to do at work.
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Please note that as a Registered Massage Therapist, I am not a Medical Doctor. The information above is for educational and entertainment purposes not to give medical advise. Any questions about your body or medical conditions should be addressed with a physician. Never delay or disregard personal professional medical advise based on information you have read on this website.
