What is the most rapidly accelerating pain condition with regard to frequency that I see in my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Coachella Valley, and Palm Desert chiropractic offices? I wouldn’t believe it myself if I didn’t see so many of these cases coming in on a regular basis—but it’s upper and mid-back pain. Why are so many people developing upper and mid-back pain today? Simple—it’s due to the increased use of computers, tablets, and cell phones at work and home. Should we use computers less? No, not at all—that wouldn’t be practical today. So, what then? Read on—I’ll explain exactly what can be done to minimize the pain and discomfort of upper and mid-back pain that comes along with prolonged computer use.
The first thing to address, I think, is how working at a computer causes upper and mid-back pain. Working at a computer, in and of itself, is not a problem. It’s working long hours, uninterrupted, at a computer that starts to cause pain and discomfort in the mid and upper back. Over time, gravity pulls us downward, so we start to hunch forward at the keyboard. If the screen reflects glare from the environment—overhead lights, windows, or other light sources—then we have to lurch our heads even further as our eyes get tweaked from the glare. Gravity and glare combine to put us into a hunched forward posture—computer neck, I call it—and this carriage ultimately causes pain.
The computer neck posture puts the erector spinae muscles into the most relaxed position that they can be—not good since these are the muscles that should be holding us upright. However, when we sit in a hunched forward posture, we rely on our spinal ligaments to hold our spines up, and they just aren’t equipped to do that. Ligaments are for holding bones to bones, and nothing more. So when they are forced to resist our forward-drawn spines against gravity, they don’t hold up so well. Ligaments have nerve endings and pain receptors in the outer layer of the bones to which the ligaments attach; so when they are stressed, it causes pain.
This pain is of a deep, boring variety, making it hard to localize and radiating out diffusely. This is the type of upper and mid-back pain that makes you want to stretch and contract and try for any type of relief, but usually, it is to no avail. Because the ligaments are stressed, finding a comfortable position without help isn’t easy. Throw in subluxations (fixated joints) of the thoracic spine (upper and mid-back) and accompanying muscle spasms, and you’ve got yourself one heck of an upper and mid-back problem.
It is not uncommon for people who spend long periods in front of the computer to develop neck and lower back pain. To add insult to injury, sitting for hours in front of a CRT monitor can strain the eyes and lead to headaches. So what can you do?
Chiropractic Can Help Relieve Upper and Mid-Back Pain
If you are experiencing upper and mid-back pain due to a forward-drawn posture from sitting in front of a computer for hours, there is a solution—safe, effective chiropractic care. As I have said above, by maintaining the hunched-over posture, joints will lock up or fixate, causing subluxation. These stuck spinal joints prevent proper movement of the upper and mid-back. Not only is the lack of movement painful, but it can also hamper your breathing. Poor breathing mechanics lead to lower oxygen consumption—probably not the best way to function. Getting a chiropractic adjustment is essential when you are suffering from upper and mid-back pain—not just to remove the pain, but to ensure proper oxygen flow as well.
As a chiropractor who specializes in sports-specific rehabilitation in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley) I will not only adjust your spine, but will also work out the muscle tension in and around your thoracic spine. This is the area where everybody gets stiff and sore. It’s the area just around and between the shoulder blades. Not just computer users, but many people develop trigger points in the trapezius muscles, causing painful, burning shoulders, stiff necks, and muscle tension. Trigger points are called knots in layman’s terms, but since they tend to refer or “trigger” pain in outlying areas, they have picked up the more descriptive term. In my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Palm Desert chiropractic offices, I use special muscle techniques to relax these areas before administering the adjustment. The combination is exceptional for relieving the tight, achy, and sore upper and mid-back caused by sitting for hours in front of a computer screen.
Sports Rehabilitation Aids Chiropractic in Relieving Upper and Mid-Back Pain
Along with chiropractic care to alleviate upper and mid-back pain, sports chiropractic rehabilitation is crucial in preventing the problem from becoming or remaining chronic. We accomplish this through a program of stretching and strengthening the upper and mid-back muscles, the chest and arm muscles, and the deep spinal muscles, which are necessary to hold up the spine. Doesn’t it make sense to strengthen the muscles that hold you upright in front of the computer for hours?
I provide my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Palm Desert chiropractic clients with high-level, effective exercises to strengthen the upper and mid-back. I am confident in saying that most people are completely unaware of these exercises simply because they haven’t learned them in any class or from their trainers yet. Because I show my clients how to strengthen the small stabilizer muscles of the spine and shoulders, they learn the tools to keep their upper and mid-back strong and pain at bay. It’s a rare fitness class or trainer that has picked up on the importance of training upper and mid-back stabilizer muscles. The exercises I provide are true sports rehabilitation, specific to the problem at hand; they correct upper and mid-back dysfunction.
Some Final Tips on Relieving Upper and Mid-Back Pain
Taking periodic breaks, say every hour or so, can also help when feeling upper and mid-back pain from sitting in front of a computer. I often recommend that my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Palm Desert chiropractic clients stop every hour, on the hour, and lie on the floor face up for five minutes. It’s best to be in this position with the knees bent and feet on the floor. This takes the most pressure off the upper and mid-back and relaxes the thoracic spinal muscles and ligaments.
Another outstanding practice is to use a hot water bottle to relieve the muscles of the upper and mid-back. Heat is wonderful for relieving sore, aching muscles. One word of caution, however: Do not lie on the hot water bottle, as it might burst open and cause scalding. Instead, lie on your stomach on the bed or couch and let the heat do its thing for five to ten minutes.
Finally, it’s okay to use your chair’s backrest for support; just make sure you are using it and not slouching forward. Many clients ask me which chair is best for desk and computer work, and my answer is it’s whatever is comfortable for them. I am a firm believer in quality products, though. So, a $30.00 chair from Staples is probably a poor investment. Staples, however, has some very nice chairs—look for quality (the chair to the right resembles something I would choose). A chair should be firm, yet have some give. I like chairs that rotate, but I hate rocking back and forth, so I always lock my chair in place. And, of course, being able to adjust the height is vital.
So if you are suffering from unrelenting, deep, boring, achy upper and mid-back pain, you’ve tried stretching, resting, and having your partner rub it, and it just won’t go away; don’t hesitate, see your local chiropractor. If you live in Los Angeles or Coachella Valley, see a sports-based chiropractor who focuses on relieving upper and mid-back pain. In my chiropractic offices, you will get pain relief, rehabilitation and tips on how to prevent or relieve your problem in the future. Computer work is a part of most people’s lives. Avoiding it isn’t an option. Learning the tools to allow for computer work, even for long hours, is more practical without developing pain.
-Originally posted on May 31, 2009
