Mouse Shoulder - anyone else suffering more during the pandemic?

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MartyD

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I have been having soreness in my right shoulder and on the right side of my neck for several years. It was common during the days when I would shoot sports for many hours over the course of a few days. I even placed a little blame on my Z6 because the camera body was smaller, and I was needing to scrunch up my right shoulder a little more to shoot with it. I had even tried different camera straps thinking that carrying several cameras for a long day was part of the problem. I had expected it to get much better when the sports seasons were all cancelled last spring and my shooting schedule was empty. It did not get better, it got worse.

I had replaced my camera time with more computer time. I try to create a good ergonomic work environment and had never had any issues. I spent 30 years as a school technology director, so I have been spending time on computers for many years. The pandemic caused me to shoot less and spend more time on the computer. I though it was a great time to learn new software, re-edit some old photos, and improve my photo and video editing skills. It also contributed to my shoulder/neck pain.

I finally wised up and realized what was causing the issue and discovered there are some simple exercises to help relieve the pain. Now when processing lags on my computer I do a few simple exercises to strengthen the shoulder. I am almost 65 years old and realize that my age is part of the problem, but I thought some of you might be suffering from the same issue.

I am not offering any medical advice, I just found that a few simple exercises have quickly improved my situation.
 
I have had a similar experience. Late in lockdown I developed pain and stiffness in my neck and shoulders. Initially I put it down to sleeping in a draught or something to do with my pillow.
Like many I have been doing more computer work, as a result of this dreadful pandemic. I wear varifocal spectacles, or progressives as our American friends call them. I was having a little difficulty with reading some web pages and tried altering the screen distance. However I found I was tilting my head back so that my vision was directed through the lower part of the lenses, the part used for reading. During a very recent eye test I was asked if I do a lot of computer work and it was suggested some spectacles specifically optimised for using a computer. What a difference! I now hold my head at a normal position and the pain is hugely reduced and is in rapid decline.
A function of age I guess, I’m 66, a man told me once a long time ago that you have to have nerves of steel to grow old, I’m starting to understand what he means!!!😂
 
It's hell to get old but beats the alternative. Humans didn't evolve to live as long as most of us do now. Now we just wear some parts out and you can't go to the parts store and get all the things you need to rebuild yourself -- doctors can't get them either. I fell in the woods eight years ago, hyper-extending the IT band and the gastroc muscle, three rounds of therapy haven't helped. Just goes to prove that not everything can be fixed and it pays to be careful out there.
 
Short reply, yes.
What helps me is pulling both shoulders up towards your ears and hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Now to work on the tendonitis/tennis elbow/mouse elbow in my right elbow.
Wine helps :)
 
I’ve been working out my entire professional life in the army and I kept doing so after my retirement.
I’m working out 3 times a week in my gym, I bike each day after the ‘gym-day’ for aerobic exercise with the mountainbike and I walk the dogs everyday for 1.5 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening after dinner. (The rest of the day they spend sleeping, eating, chewing, playing and chasing rabbits on our yard and chewing again LOL)
I’m 67 now and according to my MD in better shape than many 20 yrs younger guys.
No pains or soreness, so it does help to exercise I absolutely agree.
Regarding longtime screenwork I once read it should be a habit to get away off that screen every two hours for at least 15 minutes.

I think the changes in my regular workout routine also contributed to the problem. We have a great community workout center within walking distance of our house and I usually get there 4-5 times a week but with the pandemic it was closed. I just didn't adjust well. I am also a long time runner and usually race a few marathons each year but with so many race cancellations my training intensity declined. In short, I got a little lazy with my workout routine and replaced it with more computer time and I paid the price.
 
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