Preventing Shoulder Pain

Vitality Chiropractic Center • 12811 SE 38th St. • Bellevue, WA 98006 • (425) 378-1800
Preventing Shoulder Pain
Dr. Corey T. Ebbin, DC
drcoreyebbin@aol.com
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