So here we are with your shoulders under scrutiny. An insidious but annoyingly grumbly part of the body they can be too. But as with other areas of your body, knowing how you use them and to understand what stresses and strains them, enables you to start preventative measures or to help put things right. 

Strong pain free shoulders

It doesn’t matter whether you’re pushing, pulling, ‘wheel-barrowing’, lifting bags of compost or your shopping, it all requires stabilisation from your buttocks and abdominal core.

Warning signs your shoulders are under strain 
1.  Seeing a photo of yourself and noting how stooped you have become

2. Swopping to use your other arm to lift/push or pull something

3. Using two hands instead of the usual one to generate greater strength

4.  Avoiding lying on one side in bed because it has become less comfortable. 

Suggestions to assess and improve arm strength

1.Wall press-ups

Place palms on wall, finger tips at shoulder height

Step back from wall depending on your ability

Keep shoulders dropped

Softly round your upper back

Slowly bend elbows

If you have reasonable strength, try one arm but bring your feet closer to the wall first. Is there a difference in strength, left to right? 

2. Arm stretches

Lie on your back with arms out to sides, knees bent and shoulders towards your hips

Rolls knees left and right

Lengthening arms outwards

How tight do your shoulders feel? Is one tighter than the other? Remember to move slowly and gently and never push into pain. 

Standing tall

Look side on in a mirror. Stand with your weight over the arches of your feet, soft knees, squeeze your bottom while raising your breast bone up until your tummy tightens, shoulders dropped away from your ears and stretched backwards keeping them directly over your hips. Relax your head and neck.

Are you stiff between your shoulder blades, tight at the front of your shoulders or may be it’s an effort to hold and maintain this position.

Reducing stiffness

Stiffness between your shoulder blades or around your shoulders will make stretching and strengthening your shoulders much harder. The more you stretch (as above), the freer you will become. In turn the muscles that hold you will become stronger so less effort is required to hold this posture.

Small steps little and often will result in big returns long term. Maintain this posture for 30 seconds at a time but do it multiple times throughout each day. 

If your shoulders are positioned as they are designed, they positively influence the way your whole arm moves including the effect on your elbows and wrists. So, working on your shoulders is a starting point for elbow or wrist problems too. 

I’m here to help

As always, if you have any questions regarding any of the above or regarding some other health issue, please feel free to contact me either by email or through the contact form on my website. Alternatively give me a call. It’s always good to talk!