Shoulder Maintenance Program
If you spend a large amount of time sitting, typing, or performing repetitive movements with your work or daily tasks, it might be a good idea to begin a maintenance program to prevent muscle tightness, pain, or injury!
Areas of Focus for Shoulder Maintenance
Posture
Our bodies are designed to spend the majority of the day in a standing position. Being seated for the majority of the day will cause are spine to curve forward, and as a result have slouched shoulders. This can lead to muscle tightness, pain, and even numbness which can be attributed to an imbalance in muscle tension and strength.
The individual on the Right has the hips and knees at 90 degrees with his feet firmly on the floor. Also his back is nice and straight promoting a neck more in neutral and shoulders in a less rounded position. To accomplish this, focus on sitting with knees, hips, and even elbows at a 90 degree angle as seen in the image to the right. Also focus on pulling the shoulders back, almost as if you are sticking your chest out. Another way to approach it is to imagine someone places their fingers between your shoulder blades, and you are attempting to pinch their fingers with the shoulder blades.
To maintain proper balance in the shoulder complex, it is important to incorporate stretching and gentle strengthening as well to make maintaining proper posture easier!
Stretching
With repetitive movements and prolonged positioning, certain muscles will become tighter or even more elongated than others. To address this imbalance, it's important to incorporate stretches that address all areas of the shoulder complex. Here are some stretches that can keep your shoulder complex balanced.
If you have an injury or are concerned that you are injury, consult with your medical provider before attempting these movements.
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Strengthening
To maintain proper balance in strength to help with posture and discomfort, a gentle strengthening regiment is necessary. Athletes call these accessory strengthening. These muscles are responsible for stability and postural control, which helps prevent injury during heavy activities as well! These muscles also make it easier to maintain proper posture!
If you have an injury or are concerned that you are injury, consult with your medical provider before attempting these movements.
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