Q: Sometimes I think my job is killing me – I'm putting in a lot of extra hours on the computer – more than ever before – and I don't want to complain because I know things are tough all over. When I go home I have a headache on the left side of my head, and my neck and shoulders are so sore I could cry. What can I do?

These are tough times for anyone who works on computers – which seems like everybody in the workforce these days. Stretching breaks or pushing away from the computer is not very good for your career when the boss is asking folks to do more with less. I've got some survival tips. But I want every person tied to a computer to start thinking like a baseball pitcher. If you are going to pitch nine innings a day at the keyboard, you need to prevent injuries. Don't wait for them to happen.

Tip #1

Cool down your shoulder and forearm muscles before you start working. If you've got a 10-15 minute drive to work, this is optimum time to start with a gel ice pack wrapped around your elbow and another one tucked under your shirt covering the shoulder. After about 10 minutes, you can adjust the arm pack to the forearm or wrist, and flip the shoulder pack to the other shoulder. When I worked on a computer all day I started every day like this to keep my muscles from overheating. When you get to work, toss your pack in the break room freezer so you can use it at lunch and on the way home. If your company is going to be frosty to this concept, ice before you leave in the morning and when you get home. I like to ice while fixing dinner or watching the news.       

Tip #2

Get rid of the knots in your muscles. This is the step that is critical to feeling better. Knots in muscles inhibit their ability to contract and relax, so they don't get good circulation or good rest and they don't perform well when used. This starved, spastic state creates more injury and more knots. Massage is the way to get rid of knots so your muscles can recover from overuse.

Tip #3

Oppose your motions. Your muscles flex all day as you hit the keys, so your exercises should be in the OPPOSITE direction. I'm constantly seeing folks take beaten-down, exhausted muscles and trying to strengthen them with exercise. This is crazy. It’s like walking on a broken leg to mend it. What’s worse, a lot of time these folks have been to some sort of therapy and they've been given these exercises to help them!

Over-flexed muscles need extension. That means wrapping a big rubber band around the tips of your fingers and pushing them outward, in the exact opposite motion of hitting a key. Doing opposing motions with neck and shoulder muscles is tricky. Come see me and I'll make sure you have the right exercises and stretches.

Tip #4

Breathe. The computer posture limits your diaphragm’s ability to flex. That means you rely on neck and shoulder muscle to take short, shallow breaths. This is one of the worst causes of fatigue. Some people feel as bad as if they took a coach seat on a flight to Europe. It’s not your imagination, it is lack of oxygen. I can get you started and show you how to get that diaphragm moving. A diaphragm breath means expanding the stomach as you breathe in. Even if you lose it during the day, you'll be able to tune yourself up by doing some diaphragm breathing on the way home.

Does your whole department need a tune-up? I will go to your office and show everybody in your IT department or accounts payable or whatever how to prevent injuries. I'll bring my rubber bands and tennis balls. Give me 30 minutes and you'll get a program that works! 

-Sue