Stress, sitting at the computer for many hours and carrying heavy loads can cause muscle pinching and painful sensations in the neck, shoulders and back area. Learn how to help yourself in the midst of a busy day.
Every day we face many dangers waiting for our back, shoulders and neck. Even latent stress can lead to many diseases, from the most primitive clamps to osteochondrosis and spinal hernia! The main reason for many spinal problems is associated with muscle spasms, and in the most neglected state it is fraught with blockage of intervertebral discs.
The feeling of excessive strain in the shoulders, back and neck can be provoked by the awkward movement of the body, slouching, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, hypothermia, transferred infection and a number of similar causes that have a negative impact.
How to properly relax back, neck and shoulder muscles
The primary pathology is a strong overvoltage: intervertebral discs can be trapped for a long time, squeezing the nerve endings. Feelings of fatigue and pain may vary in intensity, depending on the individual characteristics of the body and the degree of overstress.
The most vulnerable areas are the spinal cord roots and the autonomic nerves, which are the ones that respond most acutely to overstress. Spasmed muscles squeeze nerve fibers and vessels, which disrupts nutrition in tissues, and static stress is exacerbated by stress and even a slight cold. In the midst of the working day, the neck and shoulder belt muscles need local relaxation first and foremost. Daily warm-up and self-massage can rid the body of many serious complications, so it is recommended to allocate at least 5-10 minutes for regular mini-training, which will help relax the spasmed muscles.
To do this, use the following recommendations:
Breathing exercises are a convenient method for relieving muscle tension in the back and shoulders, even in the workplace. Breathe in – tension, exhale – relax, then take a breath without tension, and on exhalation concentrate on relaxing a particular part of the body.
Tension the most spasmed area, hold the tension for 20-30 seconds and then relax on exhalation.
Try letting the sensation of bodily relaxation pass through the tense area of your back, neck or shoulders: take the most comfortable position and try to make your muscles fully cotton-wool.
Massaging tense areas of the body is mandatory: if there is no one who can do it, knead the closed muscles yourself. Try the technique of point deep pressure, vibration massage, massage roller. Slightly pull the skin away from the problem area and scrub the place of maximum tension.
Try an ice cube massage, but with the condition that the spinal nerves have not been caught earlier: sometimes the cold can make the situation worse. Rub the tense area of the back or shoulders in slow motion, moving clockwise. It is very important to move the ice cube around in a circle: this increases blood circulation, so that the cells saturate themselves with oxygen more quickly. The action of ice causes blood vessels to narrow and then expand abruptly, which leads to general muscle relaxation.
If your back, neck or shoulders are in a constricted painful condition for more than three days, it is worth trying a warm treatment. Try a ten-minute compress with a towel soaked in warm water. From above, cover the body area with a plastic bag and a dry towel for the best possible greenhouse effect. Try to make warm compresses every day, for example during the lunch break.
To properly relax back, neck and shoulder muscles, use stretching exercises. Only 5-10 minutes a day will help to improve the condition of the muscular framework. Try to stretch while sitting with your hands raised, as if trying to reach the ceiling with your fingertips, without breaking away from the seat.
To relax your neck, tilt and twist your head smoothly for five minutes every hour: back and forth, left and right. Also suitable for relaxing the neck area is the “pulling cat” exercise: throw your head back in the sitting position and as if pull the neck muscles, moving your jaw up and down.
Long sitting at the computer spoils even the flattest back, and the feeling of heavy loads periodically falls down even on sporty and hardy shoulders. In order to relieve tension and relax muscles in the right way, give up your usual desk posture for a while: swap a high chair for a lower one or remake the whole workspace to create the newest possible conditions for your body. As an experiment, you can try putting a few books under your buttocks.