Seeing how much is asked from the shoulders to carry out daily activities, ranging from lifting weights to pushing and pulling, it should not come as a surprise that routine movements could lead to shoulder pain, or worse, traumatic injuries.
Believe it or not, shoulder pain is quite common. About 70% of people suffer from shoulder pain over their lifetime. If the problem is not treated, it can end up becoming chronic. Eventually, there will come a time when it will affect your daily life .
If you are suffering from shoulder pain too, and are already getting treatment for it, your job does not end there. In fact, you can overcome this problem once and for all by indulging in shoulder strengthening moves. To ease you into it, here are the top 5 shoulder strengthening moves you should incorporate into your daily routine for the best possible results.
Getting into a Routine
Keep in the mind you can only attempt the following exercises once a professional gives you the go ahead. As long as you do as instructed, the exercises will be helpful in addressing all issues related to shoulder pain. Said exercises incorporate a combination of flexibility, motor control, and strength through a range of motions.
That being said, let’s look at the 5 best exercises wasting no more time.
1. Upper Thoracic Extension and Shoulder Flexion
Get on your knees in front of an elevated surface, like a bench. Push your arms outwards on the surface.
For this exercise, you have the option to stay on your knees, or you can drop to a kneeling position. Whatever position you choose, just make it is comfortable for you.
Push your chest down towards the ground and then forward towards the elevated surface. This has to be done in one sweeping motion, while you roll your shoulders outwards, moving in and out of the stretch.
The motion should get your shoulders in a flexed position, with the thoracic spine extending at the same time.
Move in and out of the stretch at least 10 times and then hold your position for a minimum of 15 to 30 seconds. If possible, you can also move side by side in the stretched position.
2. L-Stretch
Get on your knees in front of an elevated surface, like a bench. Lean forward with one arm across your chest. Your body needs to be resting on your arm while you extend the other arm in front of you.
The idea here is to lean in on the shoulder of the arm that is across your chest. You can have minimum or more movement, whichever works for you. If done correctly, you will feel a stretch behind your shoulder capsule.
Stretch in and out 10 times, but hold your position for at least 10 to 15 seconds. Once done, repeat this exercise for the opposite shoulder.
3. Bent Arm Thoracic Extension
This may seem complicated, as you will need to be on your knees, with your elbows placed on an elevated surface.
Rotate the shoulder capsules in and out while your elbows are pressed into the elevated surface. This will ensure a deeper stretch in your thoracic spine.
Move in and out of the stretch 10 times and hold your position for 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Bent Arm Scaption Plane Stretch
Kneel in front of an elevated position, with one palm on the surface and your elbow pointed upwards.
Once you are in the correct position, rotate your shoulder capsule in and out. You should feel a good stretch, if not, you are probably not doing it right.
Stretch in and out 10 times and hold your position for 15 to 30 seconds. Once you are done with one side, do the same thing for the opposite one.
5. Scapular Weight-bearing
For this exercise, you will need to add weights to your shoulders. You can try to do so with dumbbells in the plank position. Ensure your elbows are straight as they can be while you create circles using your shoulders.
Do 5 to 10 circles in one direction and then do the exact same thing in the opposite direction.
Importance of Novel Movements
If you have physical goals or are training for a sport, you may already know what needs to be done to enhance your performance. However, enough emphasis cannot be placed on the fact you will need to have goals, without which you will lack a sense of purpose. Also, it is equally important for you to incorporate novel movements into your routine.
The purpose of incorporating novel movements into your routine is to bring something new to the table, to awaken your mind and body. Believe it or not, holding patterns and physical habits slowly and gradually settle in, which can become quite the problem when trying to overcome shoulder pain.
Getting stuck in the same movement patterns remains a big player for continual pain complaints, despite getting different treatment. Fortunately, this can be dealt with for good through novel movements along with the exercises mentioned above. If your symptoms get worse, visit your closest urgent care facility immediately.
Pain is Complex
Remember, pain is a complex subject; with one man’s pain being another woman’s distress. According to latest findings, pain science has revealed that there is little correlation between perceived pain and tissue damage. If you take MRI scans for two different patients suffering from the same problem, one will not be in any pain, while the other might quite possibly cease to function normally.
Since shoulder pain is complex, emergent and without a simple solution, you will need to tread carefully when dealing with it. The shoulder girdle is where all the muscles converge, so you will need to determine the cause for the pain. Schedule an appointment with your orthopedic surgeon after which you need to practice an appropriate routine on a daily basis until you feel relief. If not, you will need to try another treatment, until you find one that feels just right.
