Shoulder pain – how you can sort it out

A painful shoulder equals reducing the quality of your life. Throughout my career as a rugby player, Olympic weightlifter and a shoulder rehabilitation specialist I have seen the numerous troubles that you have when you cannot use your shoulders the way they intend to work.

You may ask, how can a shoulder affect the quality of my life?

• Interrupted sleep caused by shoulder pain prevent you of have a fitful and good sleep

• The movements of your arms, for instance to greet someone, cause excruciating pain

• Any activity such as throwing a ball, swinging a golf club or tennis racket is painful

• Normal arm movement can be extremely painful when you use your arms in certain ways

• Painful and stiff neck

• Referred pains down into your arms

Bad postural habits lead to more people suffering from frequent shoulder and neck pains. Or you might be throwing a ball wrong, hitting that boxing bag too long for your experience level, DIY activities that include screwdrivers or hacksaws.

Some of these habits include:

• Bad posture position when working on a computer for long period of time

The only solution is to change our daily habits. This will help us to reduce shoulder pains:

• Exercise in which you make use of your shoulders such as playing golf and swim is important.

• Don't abuse your shoulders – avoid sudden movements if you’re not use to them – including racket sports and throwing a ball.

• Your work time spend in front of a computer must be limited to 60 minutes followed by a short rest period

• Ensure that you have the correct posture when sitting working for long periods.

• You can save yourself from hours of pain by seeking professional specialist advice on the correct posture and how to maintain it.

Are you presently suffering from shoulder pain!

• The use and mobility of your shoulders although you might experience pain and discomfort will remind your body that you are still using your shoulders.

• Ice numbs pain and can be applied intermittently, especially after you’ve aggravated it. Ice reduces pain and can speed up the recovery

• Ice applications can be followed up by heat application. It will enchane the recovery by increasing the blood flow and allows more nutrition and oxygen to the inured area. It also allows the muscles to relax and the tendons to become more pliable. It is VERY important to warm up for ANY sporting event.

• Shoulder exercise increases the blood-flow to the injured shoulder and serves as a corrective function. It will prevent hurting the shoulders again in future.

• Exercise – Do This NOW!! Get proper advice from a shoulder specialist

Over the last 10 year I have developed my own techniques and a system for shoulders pain relief, shoulder rehabilitation or corrective exercise from many of the best Physiotherapists and Biokineticists. Through this system I have proven that most shoulder pains that we encounter daily can be overcome.

Working with shoulder problem we have to keep the following key elements in mind:

• A thorough assessment of the posture as well as the movement of the shoulder and surrounding areas that supports it is essential.

• Aim to correct imbalances in the shoulder area by using a specific program.

• Shoulder blades can be pulled out of alignment by Myofascial release which normally occurs around the neck area.

• Pendulum swings to enhance mobility exercises can be done.

• Triceps quite often need to be stretched.

• Improving the muscles that move or hold the scapula – the scapula or shoulder blade is like the foundation of the shoulder, if there are problems here you can't fix the shoulder pain.

• We often have to use eccentric strengthening exercises when we look at the shoulder muscles.

A shoulder complex is simply a combination of 4 – 8 exercises done with very light weights completed one after the other without putting the weight down. This can be very helpful over the long run.

The most permanent solution to shoulder pain treatment is to correct the posture or movement problems, and to do exercises that keep the shoulder moving and strong. Ignoring the painful shoulder can cause long terms damage, such as arthritis of the shoulder joint, a frozen shoulder, shoulder lesions or growths, permanent discomfort and pain not easily corrected. It often results into the need for shoulder surgery.

Our shoulders are extremely mobile joints, BUT it needs the support from various other muscles to guide it safely as it moves around. We have to learn how to use the muscles to guide the shoulder and must not ignore the role they are playing. Ignorance can only result in more pain.