What do you see when you stand in front of the mirror? Yours hands will tell us what your shoulders are doing!
Posture matters! If you look more like Picture A and can see the back of your hands when standing in front of a mirror your shoulders are rounded forward, which can lead to carpal tunnel, elbow pain, neck pain and shoulder pain. The good news is YOU can change it, there is a solution!
In picture A we see dysfunctional and/or compensating shoulders resulting in pain. In fact, by fixing the position of the shoulders a person could find total relief from pains including rotator cuff impingement, tennis elbow and carpal tunnel. Remember, “the site of your pain is rarely the source of your pain!”
How much time do you spend at a desk?
How much time do you spend in the car?
What is the position of your shoulders and head at work or while driving?
The key to feeling better and avoiding shoulder pain down the road is to reintroduce correct function to your shoulders. That is done by providing new stimulus to your body that creates correct muscle memory and reduces compensation and dysfunction.
Below you will find a series of three exercises to help your shoulders function properly. These are very benign exercises, however, if any of them exacerbate your pain, they are NOT for you. These exercises are not to be considered medical advice. Always seek advice from your medical provider before starting a new exercise regiment.
Ultimately you should consider a postural evaluation so that we can find the root of your pain. Every body is different and one person's shoulder pain may have its root in a rotated pelvis, whereas someone else may have it due to a very tight thoracic/mid-back. As Pete Egoscue says, “the site of your pain is rarely the source of your pain”.
Here are three exercises that should alleviate some of the pain in your shoulders, and that may even help your neck, elbows or wrists:
STATIC BACK:
Lie on your back with your legs up over a block or chair
Place your arms out to the sides at 45 degrees from your body with palms up
Relax your upper back and notice if your low back flattens to the floor evenly from left to right
Lay in this position for at least 5 minutes. Up to 20 minutes helps if you are in a lot of pain
STATIC BACK REVERSE PRESSES:
Lie on your back with your legs up over a block or chair
Relax your legs, back and stomach
Place your arms in a bent position directly out from your shoulders
Bend 90 degrees at the elbows, hands are in a fist pointed up toward the ceiling
Now squeeze your shoulder blades down and together and then release
Try to relax your stomach muscles and do NOT try just to push your elbows into the floor - focus on the squeezing and releasing of your shoulder blade muscles
Do 30 of these