What To Do When Your Shoulder Hurts

Are you having a pinching pain in your shoulder when you reach your arm overhead? Often times this is caused by poor posture and the muscles that stabilize your shoulder get deconditioned. When you then reach up, your shoulder drifts up toward your ear and you lose the congruency or natural alignment of the shoulder’s ball and socket joint causing a pinch to the tendon or the inner lining of the joint capsule. To help retrain these muscles it is important to restore the normal muscular control to the shoulder and scapula. Try the following exercises to help restore your shoulder’s natural movements.

Please Note: If you have pain that does not improve with these simple exercises or if the pain is very sharp and stabbing, you may have other issues in your shoulder that require further medical attention.

Photo 1: Leaning Forward

Photo 1

• Sit facing your desk or table with a foam roller under your forearm and thumb pointing up

• Keeping the elbow straight, push your underarm down toward the floor and hold for 5 seconds. Feel the scapula slide down your back a short distance. Repeat 5 times.

• Next, hold the scapula down as in previous step and slowly lean forward while maintaining the downward push of the shoulder blade. Reach and hold for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times. This is much like reaching over head- the shoulder needs to be retrained to stay down as we lift the arm up.

Photo 3: Leaning Sideways

Photo 2: Start Position

Photos 2 and 3:

• Turn sideways and repeat with the arm out to the side with the elbow slightly in front of the shoulder.

• Progress to leaning sideways- this effectively elevates the arm as if reaching overhead sideways. Remember to maintain the space between your ear and the top of your shoulder as you lean forward or sideways.

How did this Tip work for you? Share your findings with us at info@movecolab.com