Shoulders and coughing

Have you noticed that after a winter of battling colds and coughs, your shoulders seem to bear the weight of the season?

Repetitive coughing, especially when frequent and forceful, can tighten and fatigue the muscles in the chest. This includes the pectoral muscles, intercostal muscles (between the ribs) and even the muscles in the upper abdomen. The pectoral muscles are connected to the shoulders and play a role in the movement and stability of the shoulder joint; so that repeated coughing can lead to an imbalance in the muscle dynamics around the shoulder. This tightness can pull the shoulder forward and down, leading to poor posture and altered biomechanics of the shoulder. The shoulder muscles may compensate by working harder, which can lead to overuse and strain. This imbalance and compensatory strain can lead to conditions such as shoulder impingement, rotator cuff issues, or general shoulder pain and stiffness. 

To ameliorate this, have an eye to your posture, the way you breathe and your emotional health. Consider the benefit of  stretching through the front part of your shoulders, letting the stretch ripple through to between your shoulder blades; and some light shoulder strengthening exercises - even a tin of beans is useful for this - 10 or so whilst you’re boiling the kettle!

As we welcome the warmer days ahead, let’s not forget to give our shoulders the care they deserve - they’ve been with us through every cough and shiver of the season.