If you're like many people, you put up with from some kind of aches and pains. We see many office workers in our practice whose lives are made more difficult by some kind of back or neck problems. The good news is, research shows that strength training can help lessen pain.
A Danish study followed 42 women who were plagued by trapezius pain. The trapezius forms a triangle between the neck, shoulders, and upper back, and is a frequent source of neck and shoulder pain in office workers. All of the women in the study engaged in repetitive work all day at their jobs.
The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three different groups:
- The first group practiced strength training workouts for 20 minutes, 3 times a week. Each session included three out of five high-intensity techniques devised particularly for the neck and shoulder muscles.
- The second group did leg workouts for 20 minutes, three times a week. They rode stationary bikes, and allowed their arms to hang relaxed at their sides.
- The third group were given counseling on "workplace ergonomics, diet, health, relaxation, and stress management for a total of (one hour) per week but were not offered any physical training."
Researchers carefully documented the women’s' muscle strength at the beginning and conclusion of the study, and noted their levels of neck pain each week.
Though all of the women maintained their jobs during the study, the women who performed strength exercises shared a 79% drop in the severity of their pain. The women in the second and third groups mentioned no significant pain relief.
If you suffer from neck or back pain, it's important for you to know that there are non-invasive solutions. In our clinic, we can work with you to build a treatment plan that combines chiropractic care and specific exercises to help you get out of pain.
Give our Rockwall, TX office a call today at (972) 771-9448 to make an appointment.
Andersen LL, Andersen JL, Suetta C, Kjaer M, Søgaard K, Sjøgaard G. Effect of contrasting physical exercise interventions on rapid force capacity of chronically painful muscles. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2009;107(5):1413-9.