1.
stiff shoulders; shoulder tension
Muscle stiffness and tension in the shoulder and neck area, often caused by poor posture, stress, or desk work.
肩凝りがひどい。
My shoulders are really stiff.
パソコン作業で肩凝りになった。
I got stiff shoulders from working on the computer.
マッサージで肩凝りを解消した。
I relieved my stiff shoulders with a massage.
ETYMOLOGY:
肩 (shoulder) + 凝り (stiffness) - from 凝る (to stiffen)
ALTERNATE WRITING:
Also written as 肩凝り or 肩こり (with hiragana for 凝り)
CULTURAL NOTE:
肩凝り is an extremely common complaint in Japan, particularly among office workers. Massage parlors, heat patches, and stretching exercises targeting 肩凝り are widely available.
RELATED BODY COMPLAINTS:
- 腰痛 - back pain
- 頭痛 - headache
- 寝違え - stiff neck from sleeping wrong
COLLOCATIONS:
- 肩凝りがひどい - have severe shoulder stiffness
- 肩凝りを解消する - to relieve stiff shoulders