Shoulder pain is a common complaint of those who tend to do repetitive overhead movements, particularly if they have a job that involves sitting in front of a computer. Here are 5 tips from MobilizeMe Physiotherapy Miami to help you get out of pain without a trip to the clinic!
- Mobilize the thoracic spine. Working a desk job or having a long commute can lead to your thoracic spine becoming less mobile than it needs to be. For healthy shoulders we also need a thoracic spine that moves well. Spend 5-10 minutes a day on a roller opening it up into both extension (bending backwards) and into rotation (twisting side to side) can make a big difference with shoulder pain.
- Stretch your pecs! Pec minor and Pec major both bring the shoulders forward and down and can cause rounding through the thoracic spine (not good!)
- Strengthen the rotator cuff. Your rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles designed to keep the humerus in the centre of the socket. If the humeral head moves too much with overhead loading, it can lead to bursitis and tears of the rotator cuff. These muscles do not require heavy loading so keep the weights lighter and the repetitions higher to improve their endurance.
- Strengthen your middle and upper back. Often times our upper trapezius gets blamed for shoulder and neck pain but more often than not they are weak. Upper trap shrugs can help strengthen these muscles which improves scapular upward rotation – an important part of shoulder health!
- Lengthen the lats. Especially if you do overhead movements at the gym. This muscle extends and internally rotates the shoulder; when it’s tight, it can cause a restriction when bringing the arm overhead. Getting on a roller can help loosen the lats up.
MobilizeMe Physiotherapy Miami can help you with your shoulder pain! If you’ve tried everything (and all of the tips listed) without success, give us a call or book online by clicking the button below!