Reducing Neck & Shoulder Pain by Jane Thurnell-Read

Strength training exercises using dumbbells can reduce pain and improve function in the trapezius muscle, the large muscle which extends from the back of the head, down the neck and into the upper back. The exercises also improve the muscle’s ability to respond quickly and forcefully among women suffering trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work.

Repetitive strain injury has become increasingly common. For example, a  Danish survey found that more than half of female office workers reported frequent neck pain.

An article by Lars L. Andersen et al in the Journal of Applied Physiology published by  The American Physiological Society   found that 5 exercises can reduce women's experience of this sort of shoulder pain:

• The one-arm row

• Shoulder abduction

• Shoulder elevation

• Reverse fly

• Upright row

You can see photos and more details about the exercises here http://bit.ly/F86Mw. Although this research was done with women office workers, there is no reason to believe it would not be effective for neck and shoulder pain for other reasons or for men with this sort of pain.

If you suffer from disorders such as degenerative joint disease, neurological disorders, fibromyalgia, or prolapsed discs of the neck do no underatke these exrecises without medical supervision.

Some years ago I fell off my bicycle and landed on my left shoulder. It was a painful experience and over time my whole shoulder became stiff and painful and it was difficult to raise my arm. After a while I realised that I was losing more and more movement and decided to try doing some weight training exercises.

It was quickly clear to me that weight exercises involving the right arm were much easier than ones involving the left one. I decided to use the same weights on both sides - choosing the lightest possible weight because of my left shoulder. I reasoned that I didn't wnat to use different weights on each side as this would increase the imbalance between the two sides. I worked very carefully so as not to injure my shoulder more, but slowly over the next few weeks I was able to lift the weights higher and quite quickly was able to progress to a heavier weight too.

I was amazed at how quickly my shoulder went from being painful to feeling stroong and good. i realsied that the months of "protecting" my shoulder had been wrong and that, within a short time of the injury, I should have been carefully asking my arm and shoulder to work again. The old saying - if you don't lose it, you lose it - can apply to injured shoulders as well as to so much else in life. Now my left and right arms and shoulders are equally strong.

It is, of course, important to approach this sensibly and not aggravate an existing injury, but please do not assume that a painful arm and shoulder means you need to rest them and protect them from activity.

You can also use herbal and homeopathic remedies to help injuries. Immediately after an injury try Australian Bush flower Emergency Essence. This can reduce shock and help the healing process to be more effective. Arnica cream and the arnica homeopathic remedy can also help too.

Copyright 2009 Jane Thurnell-Read Online Health Shop