Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 5/4/2008

Question
Hello ~

Recently I woke up and I guess I had slept wrong or something..anyway my right shoulder was hurting.  I do not remember injuring it or anything like that.  

The pain seems to be on the top of my shoulder near the trapezius and right behind the little knobby bone on the top of the shoulder, and a little bit down the front under my collar bone.

My shoulder hurts most when I pull/shrug my shoulder down and forward.  Sometimes if I sit hunched it will hurt to shrug up.  It doesn't hurt all that much when raising my arm over my head, unless I've been sitting in one position for too long or poking at it.  Actually right now if I lift my arm up over my head and then lower it down held out straight in front of me, it starts hurting when the arm gets to about 90 degrees (parallel to the floor.)

 I keep trying to massage it and work on trigger points but nothing is helping.  I work on a computer for work, and sitting in that position irritates it.

What can I do?

Answer
The sitting position as described can aggravate that group of muscles; they are held in one position for a long time, and can actually weaken.  You may want to try a massage therapist, and if no relief, try a good chiropractor to have it assessed and to set up a good rehab program.