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do you have a sore neck? shoulder

findtim

Top Contributor
don't laugh, serious folks, i do, and i'd like to tell you why.
we all work with computers and i have had MASSIVE PAIN in my right neck for 6 months now, spent hundreds of dollars of physio , osteopaths, scans, xrays !!! creams, magnesium tablets, magnesium sprays and it all get back to your F'n MOUSE

yep, if you have a sore shoulder you are LAUGHING as you are just in the early stages and can stop it now, if its in your neck you have some work to do and its more pain before gain sorry.

your CHAIR, your SCREENS, your BACK angle and do you slump forward??????, wheres the mouse? close or far away?

there are MANY great videos on this and i'll start posting them, they have really helped me and they are only simply exercises and position techniques, NOOOO radical neck cracking type stuff.

i think it is a common problem especially for developers where we spend loads of time in front of the computer.

if anyone has got some techniques i'd LOVE to hear them.
tim
 

Rhythm

Top Contributor
we sit too much

1. stop sitting. stand, swim, cycle
2. posture: physiotherapy, pilates, yoga - focus on head to toe alignment, stretch and strengthen
3. acupressure/acupoint, acupuncture, reflexology

also investigate nutrition and diet
get tested, blood + htma - figure out whats missing and adjust diet + supplements
 
Last edited:

Joel

Top Contributor
It's a very common problem Tim. In addition to your tips and those suggested by rhythm, you can also train your left hand to use the mouse as well (assuming you're right handed). Obviously doesn't fix the issue, but does help in the reducing the load on your dominant side.
 

Sim

Regular Member
1) don't use laptops, or if you do, use an external keyboard and mouse and especially an external screen which is set to an ergonomic height.
2) get a good chair which allows you to maintain good posture

3) get a height adjustable desk (not a standing desk) so you can swap from sitting to standing

4) improve your core strength (pilates, yoga, etc) to help with posture

5) take breaks regularly, move around

The main problem with laptops is that your shoulders are squeezed together to try and reach the keyboard / touchpad etc, plus your shoulders are hunched while looking down at the screen. Better to open up your shoulders by separating mouse from keyboard and adopt a more neutral posture by using an external screen at the correct height.

I struggled with chronic neck pain (which caused migraines) for about 15 years before I found a physio who was good enough to actually understand the cause of my pain to be able to treat it effectively - yes, posture related - but the pain was being caused by rib misalignment (posture!) which resulted in other muscles working overtime to compensate - leading to tight muscles and tension headaches and sometimes migraines (feels like someone is jabbing an ice pick into my right eye and the top of my head).

Once I got treatment to help keep the ribs in the right spot and learn how to self-manage (and improve my posture), I'm now only experiencing about 10% of the pain/discomfort I previously did and can largely manage it myself. Migraines are rare rather then frequent.

Unfortunately, my physio was so good that he got recruited by the GWS Giants to be their head physio - but at least I got what I needed from him.

(Oh, and stay away from Codeine - that stuff is addictive ... actually causes headaches - but that's another story!! ... I only ever take aspirin for muscle related pain and headaches now).
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
Had this problem about 10 years ago,

Contacted these people about it, http://www.ergonomics.com.au

They came over and looked at stuff like suitability of chair, height of monitor etc and did a pretty detailed report with photos of me sitting and show all the problems, advised on exercises, mouse and keyboard positions etc. The problem soon went away after making the changes.

The main issue was an office chair that was too small, a desk that was too low and a monitor that was not high enough, this causes hunching etc. One thing is the monitor should be way higher than what most people would have, most stands sold are far too small. Think three phone books under it and that was about the right height for me.
 

findtim

Top Contributor
good/sad to see i'm not alone.
thanks for all the advice and i'm sure everyone else reading it is pleased as well.
i go to the gym EVERY DAY and i walk 3 times a day so its all helping, i'd love to swim ( byron breed) but its inconvenient here at the moment(long story/council/reno)
those sit/stand desks i've been thinking about
tim
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
good/sad to see i'm not alone.
thanks for all the advice and i'm sure everyone else reading it is pleased as well.
i go to the gym EVERY DAY and i walk 3 times a day so its all helping, i'd love to swim ( byron breed) but its inconvenient here at the moment(long story/council/reno)
those sit/stand desks i've been thinking about
tim

I remember considering them also, and the weird ergonomic chairs with no back. I don't know if they suit everyone.
 

Sim

Regular Member
I have an advantage that I'm self employed and work from home, so I get to set up my workspace exactly how I like. The downside is that I've got to pay for it all myself.

I spent $2,400 on a large height adjustable desk and I swap between sitting and standing multiple times per day. I feel it has really helped me stay productive and has been well worth the investment.



 

Lemon

Top Contributor
It's a very common problem Tim. In addition to your tips and those suggested by rhythm, you can also train your left hand to use the mouse as well (assuming you're right handed). Obviously doesn't fix the issue, but does help in the reducing the load on your dominant side.
When I switched from desktop to laptop I started using the trackpad and now I have a fat index finger which I like to show off to prove I actually do work.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
That is a very neat setup Sim, mine has crap every (papers, broken pens, a stinky old AUDA hat and toy cars that I am supposed to fix) so I won't post.

How easy is it to change the height? If I had one of those I suspect there would be crap falling every time I adjust it.
 

chris

Top Contributor
I have an advantage that I'm self employed and work from home, so I get to set up my workspace exactly how I like. The downside is that I've got to pay for it all myself.

Awesome setup @Sim -- what sort of desk is this?
 

Sim

Regular Member
That is a very neat setup Sim, mine has crap every (papers, broken pens, a stinky old AUDA hat and toy cars that I am supposed to fix) so I won't post.

How easy is it to change the height? If I had one of those I suspect there would be crap falling every time I adjust it.

Oh, my desk isn't usually that tidy - this was not long after I got it, so hadn't had a chance to fill it with crap yet.

I did tidy it the other day too, so it's not too bad at the moment, but I usually have a lot more paper, computer parts, cameras, etc on it.

Height is easy to change - it's electronically controlled (see the little black control box under the desk on the front right hand side). I chose the deluxe controller which has 3 memory settings - so I have my "standing" my "sitting" and my "gaming" heights (gaming being slightly lower which I find works better for FPS games).

Takes about 20 seconds to go from max to min height - but I almost never have to do that. My "stand" to "sit" position takes about 10 seconds.
 

Shane

Top Contributor
I bought a Varidesk a few months back for the office. Love it. :)



You can't see it in the pic, but I also bought the anti-fatigue mat which makes a big difference.
 

Sim

Regular Member
You can't see it in the pic, but I also bought the anti-fatigue mat which makes a big difference.

Yes, I bought a good anti-fatigue mat from Amazon (GelPro Newlife) ... I highly recommend something like this if working standing up.

I love the GelPro surface on mine - I can work barefoot and my feet don't get sweaty.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
Yes, I bought a good anti-fatigue mat from Amazon (GelPro Newlife) ... I highly recommend something like this if working standing up.

I love the GelPro surface on mine - I can work barefoot and my feet don't get sweaty.

Noticed that in the pic, don't know such products existed.
 

findtim

Top Contributor
wow, i thought this would be a little and ignored thread but some great advice has come from it, thanks
sim your setup looks great, like mine but no
You can't see it in the pic,
ummmmmmm, i can't SEE the pic LOL
i was visiting a friend in hospital today and had to go to the office for him, the lady was standing at her desk which was "standning height" and a HIGH chair behind her so i asked her about how she felt with the situation.
she said, standing is good but they don't provide the mats !........ now i was in monash clayton who just spent milllions on the childrens hospital and can't buy a mat for a staff member !!!
tim
 

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