Recently I have been experiencing tightness and discomfort in the muscles around my shoulders, neck and the top of my back. Often I feel pain in my shoulders -where the discomfort is usually at its worst- and sometimes in the top of the back. There's a few reasons that I suspect will be causing this, these include heavy bags packed with -necessary- equipment and kits for school. I am unable to access my locker as I have lost the key. Also, the lack of time on my hands and additional heavy-lifting work around the house/ school probably have large significance in contributing to my discomfort. I regularly stretch and exercise and, while stretching does partially relieve the tightness- I don't experience many "breaks" from the pain. Any advice given that offers a chance to tone down the discomfort is gladly accepted.
I had similar pains when I used to do weight lifting, kickboxing and punching. My chiropractor suggested I do something. Face the wall with both of your hands against the wall, like you're pushing the wall. Don't put too much pressure, but make sure your palms and arms don't move. Now move your shoulders in circles, do this atleast 20 times before stopping and do it again. This helped loosen the muscles after a few days. I did it twice a day for 1 week. I'm not a doctor or a professional. So I'd suggest visit a doctor, but this is my 2 cents.
Thanks for replying, Phoenix. I'll try that and if the pain continues I'll go onto looking into more medical sources of advice. When using that method, did you continue your exercises as normal or did you have to tone them down/stop doing them?
I toned down on the number of repetitions I did for that week. My trainer suggested I reduce the amount of physical work I do and concentrate on other areas of my body, the ones that weren't aching in that one week. I felt significantly better after that week, so I picked up my repetitions and upper body work again. Also. I forgot to mention. I applied topical ointment to reduce pain on my aching areas and used a hot water bottle/hot electric blanket on them twice a day in addition to the wall thing. I did that exercise after I applied the ointment, but before I put the hot water/hot blanket. It helped. I continued the exercise for the rest of the week, but I felt significantly better three days in, so I discontinued the ointment and hot water treatment. Hope this helps.
Could you get a backpack with a waist strap? If you make the waist strap tight, It lifts a lot off of your back. It made a big difference for me.
That's not a bad idea. I know some students a few years ago (a long time ago for me) you to have school bags with wheels on them so they could wheel them around, filled with heavy stuff, rather than to carry them on their shoulder. Is that possible for you?
While that's a great idea I am not in a great place right now to be buying a new bag. I'll keep this in mind for when I am able to do so, though. Thanks for your responses and I will take all the advice on board.
