The thing about the shoulder is that it generally is the first thing to creep up around the ears if there is any form of stress or anxiety in our body. This action is not something we want to perform for long periods as it will only aid in the tension. Ask any manual materials handler what their thoughts are when asked about their shoulders, and almost always the first thing mentioned is how stiff or tense they feel, followed by not being happy with their posture. There are however, very small and simple activities that, if performed throughout the working day, will begin to bring alignment, mobility and reduced tension into the shoulder girdle.
Dr Anastasia Vasina from Soter Analytics, a global safety science company states, “Like any joint in the body, the most important thing is to keep it moving. Yes, it is true that most manual handling workers are constantly moving their shoulders however, the shoulder requires movement across all its possible capabilities in order for it to remain lubricated or well-oiled, or areas can seize up, tighten and thus be the beginning of problems or perhaps why they are already in pain”.