Why Do Shoulders Hurt After Working on a Mobile or Laptop All Day?

Shoulder pain or discomfort following extended usage of mobile phones, tablets, or laptops as a result of sitting to allow the use of these devices for extended periods should not be part of your modern lifestyle. Scrolling down pages through touchscreens, typing on physical keyboards, and sitting leaning towards screens for hours has put continuous stress on your shoulders, upper back, neck, and shoulders and has created a “tired” feeling, when in fact, that feeling is the body responding to being overloaded due to poor posture. 

Once this overload has occurred, you may suffer from persistent shoulder pain, weakness, or limited movement. Many individuals only seek out the services of a qualified best orthopedic doctor In Chennai when their discomfort begins disrupting their sleep patterns and affecting their daily routine. Learning why you are experiencing pain in the shoulders or your discomfort and pain will help you find a way to prevent shoulder pain in the future. 

How screen use changes posture

Your body does not maintain an upright and balanced position when you use a laptop or phone, as the head tilts forward and the shoulders slouch forward, with a rounding of the spine. Even a small amount of forward head posture increases the amount of strain on the neck and shoulders for hours on end due to prolonged contraction of these muscles, which results in fatigue, tightness, and pain.

Mistakes made repeatedly over a long period of time, even if they are small in nature, can cause significant, long-term strain on the body. Our bodies were designed to move and not hold the same position for a prolonged period of time, and that is why by the end of the workday your shoulders may ache.

Muscle overuse and static loading

Muscles are not just stressed by poor posture; muscle overuse can lead to pain caused by the continued static loading of muscles. Static loading is defined as holding the same position for an extended period of time without the opportunity to relax. For example, if you were typing on a keyboard or texting, your arms would remain elevated. As a result, your shoulder muscles and neck would be engaged for the full duration of typing or texting. Continuing this process over a period of time may create the following conditions:

• Stiffness around the area of the shoulder blade
• Heaviness in both arms
• Difficulty performing overhand arm lifts

As with most conditions, the symptoms do not occur in one day but instead develop over several months due to repetitive muscle use.

Soft Tissue Strain & Tendon Irritation.

For hours spent looking at screens, your shoulder joint’s supporting tendons can become irritated by the small, repetitive motions that you perform with your hands as you swipe, click and type. You will feel this irritation as a sharp pain any time that you try to reach out, stretch, or rotate your arm.

If left unaddressed, this irritation may become tendinitis. Therefore, it is important to seek help early by correcting poor posture and allowing the affected areas to rest to avoid developing any long-term injury.

When neck problems cause shoulder pain

The neck can sometimes be the source of shoulder discomfort. When people are bent forward at the waist, their spinal nerve is compressed and narrowed. This compression of the spinal nerves causes the pain to radiate into the upper arms and shoulders along with tingling and often numbness in these areas, which is why it can be misleading to try and guess what is the cause of a painful area at home since the actual source of pain may be somewhere else than the area indicated.

Lifestyle habits that silently worsen shoulder pain

Daily habits that contribute to rising stress include:

• The use of a laptop while laying down on the floor or couch
• Keeping the phone between the shoulder and the ear
• Keeping the laptop on the floor or lower than eye level
• The avoidance of strengthening exercises and/or stretching

Each of these unhealthy habits causes poor posture, which causes pain, which causes less activity and therefore leads to an increase in stiffness, so this cycle repeats itself.

Simple habits to reduce device-related shoulder pain

Small incremental changes have a substantial impact:

• Keep monitors positioned at your eye level.
• While typing, use support for your forearms.
• Take short, brief breaks approximately every 30 – 40 minutes.
• Stretch your neck and shoulders gently during breaks.
• Strengthen the muscles in your upper back to counteract the rounding of your posture.

A consistent level of activity throughout the day will produce greater benefits than performing one intense workout later in the evening.

When should you seek medical help?

If you experience any of the following indications, you should not disregard shoulder pain:

• If your shoulder pain persists beyond a few weeks,
• If your shoulder pain produces numbness or weakness;
• If your shoulder pain interferes with your ability to sleep;
• If your shoulder pain follows a sudden injury or strain.

Shoulder pain after long mobile and laptop use is common but not normal. Learn causes, posture fixes, warning signs, and when to seek an orthopedic doctor. Movement and listening to your body’s discomfort can help prevent shoulder pain for many years to come. If your shoulder pain persists despite trying these simple measures, you should seek the advice of a qualified ortho doctor at Sugam Hospital for a detailed understanding of the sources of your shoulder pain and to receive individualized treatment so that you can perform your work, perform activities of daily living and rest without experiencing shoulder pain.