Shoulder problems? Here are some shoulder suggestions from our Chiropractor!
I constantly see patients who have shoulder pain and problems and have great success in helping their bodies naturally heal their frustrating shoulder injuries when they are under chiropractic care. These are the suggestions that I frequently give patients.
If the spine and shoulder blades are not working properly, the shoulder usually continues to be aggravated during attempts to rehab it.
Once the chiropractic patient has the function of the spine and shoulder blades improving in the patient, the body has a chance to heal naturally.
Here is a recent article (2015) on how Chiropractic care of a patient’s neck was able to immediately help the patients shoulder improve its range of motion and begin healing.
“This case report provides supporting evidence that upper cervical adjustments may benefit patients with sudden insidious shoulder pain and limited range of motion. ”
These are some shoulder suggestions that I usually recommend to my chiropractic patients whose spine and shoulder blades are functioning better:
Shoulder problem? Here are some suggestions while under Chiropractic care:
1) Warm up. Do this by leaning forwards and letting your arm hang limp. Then start slow swinging motions in a circular pattern. Control it though and switch clockwise/counterclockwise etc. The purpose is to just warm up the shoulder joint.
2) Shoulder Blades. Focus on pinching your shoulder blades together behind your back on and off. This puts your shoulder in the proper position for strength in the arm. Be sure to do this before using your arm for anything.
3) Push up plus. These are not full push-ups because you never end up bending the elbow! Go into the push up position with straight elbows, and then try to push up so your scapula are separated and then go down so your scapulas are pinching (no bending the elbows). This works a muscle that controls your scapula. Try these standing against a wall first.
3) T’s I’s and Y’s.
Lie on your stomach on a bench so your arms can hang. Then you will be lifting your arms into the T position by 1st pinching your scapula together. Don’t lift past your body height. Your thumbs should be facing up towards the sky here.
For the Y position start the same but lift into the Y of “YMCA” position. Thumbs up again.
For the I position start arms along your side and then lift, keeping thumbs down.
4) Buchberger’s. They are my favourite ones. Do these after you figure out how to do the T’s and Y’s. Start lying on your stomach on a bench
Step 1 is to place the hands on the buttocks and pinch your shoulder blades together. Then reach towards your feet keeping the hands together. While keeping the hands together lift them off of your buttocks. Then slowly release hands (your palms here are facing upwards. Begin to rotate the arms while progressing to the “Y” position with your arms (ending with your palms facing upwards again). Reverse the motion slowly all the way back until your hands are together and on your butt again. Then continue with the motion from step one again.
The #3 and 4 exercises are meant for endurance and motion patterns. You can add a rock in your hands for weight but you don’t need to. That’s because if you do them properly and slowly then they will be very tiring.
5) External and Internal rotation exercises. Keep your elbow at your side and move your hand “in and out”.
6) Lawn Mower Pull or Sword Move while standing. With your left arm reaching to the side of your right leg, palm facing towards you. Then go into the “Y” position with the one arm and have your palm facing away from you. You can do this exercise with the cable or a free weight.
7) Wall Washes. Stand with your left side against a wall. Leave the side of your hand against the wall and do a squat like motion (right foot in front of the left). You will be starting with your “elbow in your pocket position” at the low part of the squat and then when you stand try to reach up high on the wall while maintaining contact with the wall.
8) Ball Throwing. Throw a ball against a wall, not too hard, but just so that you are coordinating that shoulder with your body. Don’t try to throw hard.
9) Sleeper Stretch. Lie on your side and with your lower arm you will try to touch your hand to the ground. The stretch should be in the back of your shoulder, and should be held for over 40 seconds at a time.
None of these exercises should cause any sharp pain. So if there is pain, don’t do them and just rest the shoulder to allow it to naturally heal.
Sincerely,
Dr. Callum Peever – Chiropractor in Caledonia
Check out our favourite shoulder exercise here.