In an era in which working in front of a computer has become a normal matter, many people spend 6-10 hours a day sitting in front of a screen without realising it. This behaviour of office people may look like nothing, but in fact it is gradually changing the structure of our bodies, particularly the arising of the state of rounded shoulders (Round Shoulder), which is an important cause of pain in the neck, the shoulder blade, the shoulder, and the back in the long term.
What is Round Shoulder?
Round Shoulder is a state in which the head of the shoulder juts forward, the upper back curves, and the chest closes, making the bearing look bent and not dignified, and affecting the muscles and the joints all around. It usually arises together with the symptom of a jutting neck (Forward Head Posture).
Why does working in front of a computer cause rounded shoulders?
When sitting working in front of a computer for a long time, the body is usually in a character of unsuitable posture, such as bending the head down, rounded shoulders, and a bent back. These postures make the chest muscles "tight and shortened" and the muscles of the back and the shoulder blade "weak". When this imbalance accumulates continually, the body will begin to "remember the wrong posture" until it can become permanently rounded shoulders.
Effects that are more than a matter of not looking good
Many people think that rounded shoulders is only a matter of bearing, but in fact it greatly affects health, such as muscle pain in the area of the neck, the shoulder blade and the shoulder, pain in the shoulder blade and upper back, headache from tight muscles, being unable to breathe with full lungs (the chest is closed), degeneration of the neck bones through to an intervertebral disc compressing the nerves, pain in the area of the middle back because of being in a hunched posture, and the risk of chronic symptoms such as Office Syndrome.
How to prevent and put it right for people working in front of a computer
1. Adjust the working environment
Arranging the working desk correctly is the most important starting point, with the computer screen at eye level, the position of the keyboard at the same level as the elbows, sitting with a straight back against the backrest, and the feet placed flat on the floor. Adjusting the sitting posture only slightly can clearly reduce the pressure on the neck and the shoulders.
2. Rest and move the body from time to time
You should not sit still for more than 1 hour. Try using only 1 minute to stretch the body, with a chest stretch, rolling the shoulders slowly (Shoulder roll), and gently pulling the shoulder blades towards each other (Scapular squeeze), which can help reduce the accumulated tightness well. Or use the 20-20-20 rule, which is that every 20 minutes you look 20 feet into the distance for at least 20 seconds, in order to change posture from time to time, helping the body rest and resting the eyes as well.
3. Strengthen the muscles at the right point
Exercise that helps put right rounded shoulders should emphasise the muscles of the back and the back of the shoulder, such as Rowing exercise, Face pull and Reverse fly, which should be done at least 3-4 days a week, in order to create balance in the body.
4. Train the awareness of posture (Posture Awareness)
During the day keep checking yourself: "shoulders open and not rounded, neck not jutting, back not bent". You may use the method of setting a reminder on your mobile phone or looking in the mirror often, in order to help remind yourself to adjust to a suitable posture.
In summary
Working in front of a computer is not the problem, but "the behaviour while working" is what determines our health in the long term. The state of Round Shoulder can be prevented and put right if you begin adjusting from today. Just by adjusting the working desk, moving the body regularly, and exercising at the right point, you can reduce the painful symptoms and make your bearing come back to being better.