Most desk workers don’t realize they have excessive muscle tension that’s causing weak, limited, internal shoulder rotation. I was years into my good computer posture journey before I accidentally learned, in a CrossFit class, how limited my internal shoulder rotation used to be. The internal shoulder rotation definition is when the joint rotates toward the front, vertical midline of the body.
Internal shoulder rotation can be a very good thing to have in our physical strength tool box. However, our muscles and tendons weren’t designed to hold the exact same position for long periods of time. We’re able to do it, but there’s a price to pay. In my experience, that price consisted of muscle tension, decreased blood flow, and chronic pain.
Limited internal shoulder rotation causes can vary from a wide range of actions. Common causes are holding a baby consistently, or using a phone or tablet for long periods of time. But as desk workers, the limited internal shoulder rotation act that causes the most pain is using a keyboard and mouse for 8 hours a day.
This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. For years, my poor computer posture caused shoulder muscle tension, inflammation, and chronic pain. Bad posture also decreased my mental clarity, energy level, and work productivity.
All the workplace ergonomic tips I write about are directly related to improving posture at a computer. We are our own primary caretakers. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.
What is internal shoulder rotation?
We naturally tend to rotate our shoulders internally when we place our hands on the keyboard and mouse. It’s a vulnerable position, but our bodies were designed to get in that position. Where we get into trouble, is when we hold that compromised position for long periods of time.
This overuse of our muscles is not only limited to the internal rotation of the shoulder joint. Muscle tension from holding a keyboard and mouse spread throughout my biceps, chest, and neck.
Shoulder: Internal Rotation vs. External Rotation
Before we can learn how to improve it, let’s talk about the 2 different rotations of the shoulder, internal rotation vs. external rotation.
A strong, internal shoulder rotation is good for pushing a door open, or the final motion of throwing a ball. It’s when the upper arm bone rotates inward towards the front of the body.
External shoulder rotation is the opposite motion. It’s when we reach our hand away from the front of our bodies, usually behind our shoulder joint. It’s when we’re in the beginning motion of throwing a ball, when we cock it back behind our shoulder to get momentum. Another example of external shoulder rotation is reaching behind us to pull a door closed as we walk through it.
External shoulder rotation is also a good thing. Improving our strength, while in external rotation, helps to counteract some of the excessive internal muscle tension we get from holding a keyboard and mouse 8 hours a day.
How to Improve Internal Shoulder Rotation
Neutral shoulder position
Ideally, the best way to decrease internal rotation shoulder pain is to keep our shoulders in a neutral, balanced position while we are using a keyboard and mouse.
This neutral position doesn’t have any rotation. It’s right in the middle of internal rotation vs. external rotation. We wanna stay in this comfortable position as much as possible when working on a computer for long periods of time, regardless if we are sitting or standing.
It’s very possible to maintain a neutral shoulder position while we’re using a keyboard and mouse. It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s possible. When we reach in front of us to touch something with our hands, our natural tendency is to rotate our shoulders inward. It took a lot of time and intention to build up my awareness. But I’m at the point where I can keep my shoulder in a neutral position while typing and clicking. I simply do this by using more arm muscles (and less shoulder muscles) when I initially rest my hands on the keyboard and mouse. Being consistent with this neutral shoulder position is the hard part. But I got used to it.
Once we know what it is, we need to avoid holding a keyboard and mouse in that position, especially for long periods of time. A neutral shoulder position is the best shoulder position for computer work. But, what is a neutral shoulder position that can prevent shoulder pain from computer use? And how can we get into that good posture position?
It’s important that I don’t overextend my arms
I try to keep my keyboard somewhat close to my torso. At the same time, I want to keep my elbows next to my rib cage. Maybe slightly ahead of it. But not too far. If I overextend my elbows too much, my internal shoulder rotation is likely to intensify. This used to cause me internal rotation shoulder pain from mouse and keyboard use.
Increase external shoulder rotation strength
I tried many things to reduce my chronic internal shoulder rotation. The best method I found (to reduce shoulder pain from mouse and keyboard use) was to strengthen my external shoulder rotation. Just like it sounds, external shoulder rotation is the opposite of internal shoulder rotation. It’s when the top portion of the upper arm (right below the shoulder joint) turns toward the back of the body.
OVERHEAD SQUATS
My favorite way to strengthen my external shoulder rotation was to do overhead squats. At first, could barely maintain the empty (45 pound) bar overhead while I would do just 1 squat. I continued working on it. Eventually after a few months, I was able to overhead squat 135 pounds. This proved to reduce my shoulder tension from typing significantly.
Internal shoulder rotation stretches
But overhead squats aren’t the only method I used to prevent shoulder pain from computer use. In my opinion, there’s a fine balance required between strengthening a muscle and stretching a muscle. Both are equally important. In my case, I didn’t bother with short duration stretches. It just didn’t seem like they were helping. After all, what is a 30 second shoulder stretch going to do for me after I used a keyboard and mouse for 8 hours that day? Not much. It may have provided some temporary relief at best.
LIGHT INTENSITY, LONG DURATION STRETCHES
Instead, I’d focus on light intensity, long duration stretches. Light intensity, meaning no weight involved. Long duration, meaning the stretch lasted for multiple minutes. I like to shoot for around 5 minutes per stretch. My favorite stretch to decrease internal shoulder rotation is actually kind of simple. And also very relaxing.
I simply lay flat on the floor with my arms close by my sides, palms facing up in the air. I bend my elbows while I slide my hands on the floor and away from my body. I stop when my elbow is at a 90 degree angle.
I simply hold this position for 5 minutes at a time, while really focusing on breathing deeply. When in this position, my shoulder is in the exact opposite rotation that it’s in when I’m using a keyboard and mouse. This light intensity, long duration stretch is a great way to counteract my excessive internal shoulder rotation that’s caused by sitting at a computer.
Summary: Internal Rotation Shoulder Pain Relief Tips
- Learn the 3 types of shoulder rotation.
- Avoid holding internal shoulder rotation for long periods of time.
- Do light intensity, long duration stretching exercises to counter balance internal shoulder rotation.
- Do strengthening exercises in the external shoulder rotation position. Overhead squats worked the best for me.
- Keep a neutral shoulder rotation as much as possible when working at a computer for long periods of time.
- Don’t overextend my arms when working in that neutral position.
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN COMPUTER POSTURE.
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce computer-related injuries by improving your posture. That’s something to be very proud of!
If you liked this article on internal rotation shoulder pain, check out my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!
>>> Click here to download your free copy
This ebook is a great supplement to the article you just read. In this ebook, you’ll learn 3 of the most painful, poor computer posture mistakes. Then, you’ll learn how to fix those mistakes immediately with 3 simple changes to your ergonomic computer desk setup.
Go to SittingPosture.com/ebook to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen
