Hi guys, here’s some really great practical advice from someone that’s been there and done that.
Cynthia Ament, Nutritional Consultant
The present day economic climate may be contributing to your daily job stress.
Add chronic pain from frozen shoulder syndrome and you probably dread the
morning commute to work.
Depending upon what stage of frozen shoulder you are dealing with, your job
responsibilities can become overwhelming to say the least. During the “frozen
stage” you may be mislead into thinking your injury is superficial and will go away
with a little rest. If allowed to progress, adhesions in the shoulder capsule can
bring increased pain and severely restricted range of motion.
If your job requires repetitive motions you may experience increased pain and
difficulty getting through your daily tasks and responsibilities. Crouching over a
desk all day or performing clerical duties on a computer non-stop will aggravate
pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and arm, mid and lower back. Any
increase in tension, physical or mental can trigger the body’s production of
inflammation. Inflammation in turn increases the brain and nervous systems pain
signals.
Emphasis on good posture and proper body mechanics are essential while sitting
at your desk all day. In fact more important if you are treating frozen shoulder
symptoms. Make any necessary adjustments to desk or chair position if they are
aggravating your symptoms. Be sure to step away from your desk and take your
allowed breaks. Use this time to do simple stretches to relieve the muscular
tension and mental stress. Be sure and stay hydrated to prevent lactic acid
buildup in tense muscle groups.
Get away from the office on your lunch hour. If necessary take a short nap to
rejuvenate and refresh yourself physically and mentally. If your office limits your
ability for privacy to rest sit in your car, seat reclined to take tension off the
shoulder, mid and lower back. To reduce inflammation use your lunch ice pack to
apply to any painful area in the shoulder. Apply an unscented medicated pain rub
to eliminate pain and inflammation if needed.
Regardless of the specific physical mechanics of your job, extreme job stress will
increase inflammation and block quick healing. Speak with your employer
regarding the need to keep communications open, manage your work
responsibilities and get the needed treatment to heal. Be honest about your
physical limitations and don’t be afraid to request any office changes that will
accelerate your healing. In the long run your healing process will only increase
your productivity at work.
Often the mechanics of your job prevent any real progress in healing your condition. You may want to consider a tropical vacation to relax and accelerate
healing. For many the warmth of sunshine and relaxation away from a stressful
job is just the right therapy for healing frozen shoulder. That final release of
adhesions may happen while relaxing on a white, sandy in the Caribbean!
Sounds like a perfect plan to help the body’s healing process.
