Can Your Mental Workload Affect Your Muscles?

It's no secret that hard manual labor can have an effect on the body. But a new study suggests there may be a connection between musculoskeletal disorders and mental workload, too.  How does mental stress affect our bodies? Research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics investigated bank workers' mental workload against pain throughout nine different musculoskeletal regions. The results demonstrated that the more subjective mental workload the employees experienced, the higher their musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the neck and back. Over time, we are beginning to understand the relationship between mental stress and musculoskeletal pain. Last year, a similar study was conducted on hospital nurses, revealing similar results, suggesting that increased mental stress leads to increased musculoskeletal pains.  For doctors of chiropractic, this research highlights a philosophy that chiropractic care has always embraced: the importance of holistic care. Exceptional and effective chiropractic care relies on a comprehensive approach that sees the body as a complete entity. Through a multifaceted approach including physical therapy, spinal manipulation, massage, nutrition, and more, chiropractic care helps individuals manage both their pain and their lifestyle to improve and eliminate discomfort from the source. Particularly for those with mentally stressful jobs, good posture can be easy to forget about, for instance. Emphasis and instruction on proper techniques and form for employees who stand or sit at a computer for long periods of time is an excellent example of preventing musculoskeletal aches and pains from developing. By taking appropriate breaks and learning tips and methods for minimizing physical and mental stress at work, a doctor of chiropractic can help guide stressed out workers towards a holistic method of resolving their mental and physical fatigue.