Preventing Shoulder Pain
Transcription
Preventing Shoulder Pain
Vitality Chiropractic Center • 12811 SE 38th St. • Bellevue, WA 98006 • (425) 378-1800 Preventing Shoulder Pain Dr. Corey T. Ebbin, DC [email protected] T he shoulder joint is the most complex changes or poor anatomy is another cause. joint in the body. It is also the most Some people just have very little space overused joint. Rotator cuff strains and between the head of the arm bone and the impingement syndrome are the two most acromion (part of the shoulder blade) to common shoulder injuries seen in individu- begin with, leading to impingement during many shoulder moveals who neglect to ments. The altered strengthen the smaller mechanics can cause the muscles surrounding other structures to become the shoulders. If you inflamed (i.e. tendons, participate in regular bursa, and ligaments, physical activity (throwFigure 22). If the supraing, racquet sports, spinatus tendon, the tencomputer work with a dons of the long head of mouse) you are at risk the biceps, or shoulder of injuring your rotator bursa are at all inflamed, cuff. The more regular they take up more space the activity, the highthan is available, resulter the risk. The good ing in impingement. It’s news is most injuries like inflating a raft in a can be prevented. The small closet—there just better news is it takes Figure 1 isn’t enough room1. only a few minutes a week. The rotator cuff consists of four small muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor (Figure 11) that stabilize the shoulder and help with turning of the arm in an inward or outward direction. During regular daily activities the muscles become stretched, pulled, and twisted. Over time, degeneration of the cuff can limit your shoulders range of movement and leave you with chronic shoulder pain. Impingement syndrome is exactly what it sounds like: one body structure repeatedly pressing or impinging on another. Several things can cause impingement in the shoulder. Muscle imbalance or weakness is one. Sometimes the cuff muscles can’t pull the head of the arm (humerus) down sufficiently to prevent impingement from occurring when you raise your arm to the side. Too many individuals are performing strength training exercises in front of their bodies, which can create imbalance in the shoulder region. The most common exercises include standing upright rows, standing side raises, overhead press, and chest press. Long term muscle imbalance will lead to skeletal or postural changes. Postural Consult a chiropractor to improve the mechanics of the shoulder joint and to enhance your posture. recommended. (Figure 43) • External/internal shoulder rotation: Can be performed with a pulley apparatus at the gym. Ask a trainer for specifications. 23 sets of 12 repetitions. Figure 3 • Bent side raises: Stand or sit on a flat bench. Bend forward at the waist about 15 degrees. With light weight in your hands, raise arms up and back in one fluid motion. At the end of the motion, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. 12 to 15 repetitions is recommended. I recommend the following stretches and strengthening exercises: • Chest stretches: Stand in the corner with arms elevated to shoulder height and placed on each wall. Place one foot in the corner and lean into the corner. Perform each stretch 3-5 times for 7 to 10 seconds. • Pole overhead: Use a wide grip on a long pole to raise your arms completely overhead. Focus on keeping the arms as straight as possible and allow the pole to reach your lower back. 15 to 20 repetitions is recommended. (Figure 3) Figure 2 • Side lying “L” raises: Lying on your side on a flat bench or the floor with a 1 to 3 pound weight. Place the upside arm along your side and bend the arm at the elbow. While maintaining your elbow to your sides the entire time, rotate your arm at the shoulder, backwards. 2-3 sets of 1215 repetitions are Figure 4 1 Physical Examination of the Spine and Extremities, Stanley Hoppenfeld, Appleton Century Crofts, New York, 1986: 22-29. Muscle Testing and Function 4th Edition, Florence Peterson Kendall P.T., F.A.P.T.A., Elizabeth Kendall McCreary BA, Patricia geise Provance P.T., Williams and Wilkins, 1993:280291. 2 The 7 Minute Rotator Cuff Solution, Joseph Horrigan, D.C. and Jerry Robinson, Health for Life, 1991: 14-60. 3