DAMAGE TO THE MUSCLES AND TENDONS: MUSCLE PAIN FROM POSTURAL STRESS

Posted by admin on April 1, 2009 under Healthy bones Osteoporosis Rheumatic | Be the First to Comment

Most people at one time or another experience the discomfort of aching muscles caused by adopting an awkward posture. For instance, holding a book at arm’s length is hard work on the shoulder muscles, not because the book is heavy, but because it is exerting a leverage at the end of the long arm, and this greatly magnifies its weight. In contrast, when that leverage is removed by simply letting the arm hang, the task is easy. Leaning forwards over a bench imposes the same kind of stress on the muscles of the back, for then the weight of the head and trunk is exerting leverage through the spine on the hips and lower back of up to four or five times as much as when the body is upright. If these postures are sustained, discomfort and pain may result. As a general principle, the more intense the muscle tension, the sooner the discomfort begins. It is therefore important to change postures frequently, to share the load of any task between all the muscles that may reasonably be harnessed to help, and to take adequate rest breaks. A series of short routine actions can also cause muscle tension and postural fatigue if repeated too often, as in assembly-line work in a factory.

The bad design of some equipment and furniture used in work, both domestic and outside the house, readily causes muscular stress in the user. It is also true that many people let themselves in for unnecessary muscular ache, in the back and neck muscles and elsewhere, by adopting a bad posture: such as sitting slumped in a chair, or humped over a desk.

Pain in the back muscles caused by postural stress can generally be relieved by rest and/or change of position and postural retraining. In extreme cases, it may become chronic and require treatment. Also, when a neighbouring part of the spine is painful and inflamed, the back muscles may be held taut to guard against a painful movement, and this in turn may fatigue them and make them ache. The additional pain resulting from this tightening of the muscles can be a considerable component of the pain experienced. Consciously trying to relax can help; if not, treatment of the inflamed condition will be needed to relieve the soreness in the muscles.

Not all muscular pain is caused by postural stress. Anxiety and frustration can give rise to muscular tension. If the frustration has no outlet or the anxiety is not relieved, muscular pain can occur. Tension in the shoulders and neck can also produce headaches.

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