Elevate Co-Founder, Dr. Meredith Soelberg PT, DPT, MBA, explains a common cause of shoulder pain and exercises to help.
Shoulder pain can affect up to 47% of people in a year’s time, and 40% of those affected will still have pain after 1 year.
Shoulder pain with reaching that comes on without trauma can be caused by “impingement” of sensitive structures in a small space in the shoulder called the subacromial space, and is often referred to as “subacromial impingement syndrome.” The impingement of these sensitive structures (such as the rotator cuff tendons and bursa) is often caused by poor posture and faulty shoulder blade mechanics.
TRY THIS:
Here’s a series of exercises to improve muscle activation and coordination of the shoulder blade & rotator cuff muscles, and better position the shoulder to avoid impingement and pain with reaching.
Level 2 video pictured. Level 1 video click here.
Level 1 – Table series
Try each exercise 5 times, for a 30 second hold each time.
For sidelying exercise, try 10-15x, 2 sets.
Level 2 – Standing series with band
Try each exercise 10-15x.
For Level 1 & 2 exercises, focus on rolling the shoulders back, squeezing the shoulder blades together toward the spine and away from your ears. Maintain this “squeeze,” even when the shoulder moves.
*Avoid pain with the exercises. Contact us for a full evaluation and individualized care for your shoulder pain.