What are the common misunderstandings about stiff shoulders (katakori)?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.

"Katakori" (肩こり) — stiffness and aching across the shoulders and neck — is a word you will hear constantly in Japan, and many languages have no single equivalent for it. It is not just a figure of speech: the national health survey records it every time as the second most common self-reported symptom in the country.

"Katakori" in the national statistics

In the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "2022 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions" [国民生活基礎調査], the proportion of people reporting at least one symptom (the "symptom rate") was 276.5 per 1,000 population. For both men and women, No. 1 is low back pain and No. 2 is katakori.

A symptom this widespread is unlikely to have a single cause or a single solution — that is what the statistics point to.

[Verify] The figures are based on the MHLW summary report. If giving the actual per-1,000 figure for katakori, take it from Table 98 on e-Stat (Japan's government statistics portal).

Misunderstanding 1｜The harder you press, the better it works

Strong stimulation is not suitable in every case. Avoid force strong enough to hurt.

Misunderstanding 2｜It is only about posture

Time spent in the same posture, eye strain, feeling cold, stress and more: several factors are described as being involved. The MHLW guideline on work with information devices (screen work) says not to continue for more than one hour at a stretch, and that advice sits in this context.

Misunderstanding 3｜It happens because you do not exercise enough

Too much exercise can cause it as well. Do not pin it on a single cause.

Misunderstanding 4｜Warming it always makes it better

The right response differs with the condition. Do not judge every case the same way.

Misunderstanding 5｜It is fine to leave it

If you have numbness, weakness, strong pain, or symptoms that persist, do not rely on your own judgement — see a doctor. Another cause may be hidden behind it.

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Sources

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Summary of the 2022 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions" [2022（令和4）年 国民生活基礎調査の概況]

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/k-tyosa/k-tyosa22/index.html

• e-Stat, Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions, Table 98 "Rate of persons with subjective symptoms (per 1,000 population), by age, symptom and sex" [有訴者率（人口千対），年齢・症状・性別]

https://www.e-stat.go.jp/dbview?sid=0002041040

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Guidelines for occupational health management in work using information devices" [情報機器作業における労働衛生管理のためのガイドライン]

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000539603.pdf

⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.

About this article

What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.

This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.

Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.

This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.

Sources

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