Avoid the Clenching Syndrome

I should have mentioned this in my post on Ergonomics. Psychosocial factors also contribute to repetitive stress injuries. How many of you have been in this scenario?

It's a typical week day. You rush out of the house and drive that long traffic ridden route to work. During this time you think about that manager who has been making your life miserable, the project that is overdue, and the impending performance review that may not be stellar. Unconsciously you start clutching your steering wheel, clenching your teeth, and yes even squeezing your pelvic floor muscles.

By the time you reach work, you have already strained several muscle groups. If this happens on a daily basis then it may contribute to carpal tunnel, tension headaches, neck pain, and coccygodynia (pain in the tail bone area). Not pleasant. So push out the negative thoughts--what are they going to change after all, take a deep breath, and think about a place where you would like to be.

Reference: Sheon, RP, Moskowitz, RW, Goldberg, VM. Soft Tissue Rheumatic Pain: Recognition, Management, Prevention. 3d ed, Williams Wilkins, Baltimore, MD 1996.
Photo: courtesy of uhaweb.hartford.edu