| Different postures are often seen in the people that | | | | Overhead Stretch |
| come to physical therapy with shoulder pain and | | | | Lie back on your ball with arms outstretched overhead. |
| stiffness. Poor posture changes normal joint alignment, | | | | Keep abdominal muscles engaged and your arms |
| can lead to soft tissues changes, changing joint forces | | | | straight. Allow gravity to pull your arms back and down |
| and then ultimately increase wear and tear leading to | | | | toward the floor. Hold this for 30 to 60 seconds. If you |
| arthritis or impingement of the rotator cuff and bursa. | | | | have any discomfort stop immediately and seek the |
| One problem that is seen frequently in throwing | | | | advice of your physical therapist. |
| athletes and often in non athletes is a forward | | | | Scapular retraction strengthening |
| shoulder posture. One shoulder or both are situated in | | | | Lie on your stomach over the exercise ball with arms |
| front of the normal plane of alignment. Usually there is | | | | straight out to your side, neck straight and chin tucked |
| an asymmetry, a throwing athlete's throwing arm is | | | | in. Keeping your arms at 90 degrees to your trunk lift |
| usually forward, and in others it is usually the dominant | | | | your arms away from the floor and pull your shoulder |
| arm that is forward. | | | | blades together. Complete the movement slowly and |
| Studies have shown that the incidence of neck, upper | | | | hold it at the top for two seconds. Repeat this 10 |
| back and shoulder pain is higher in people with the | | | | times. |
| more severe postural abnormalities. The greater the | | | | Complete the same exercise but with your arms |
| rounded shoulder posture the more likely one is to | | | | straight back at your sides or slightly out from your |
| have neck and shoulder pain. Research has also | | | | sides 10 times. |
| shown reduction in shoulder pain when the forward | | | | Now keeping arms straight and forward overhead |
| shoulder posture is corrected with exercises. | | | | elevate arms to head level. Again, complete this |
| Prior to doing any of these exercises it is best to be | | | | movement slowly and hold for two seconds, repeated |
| evaluated by your physical therapist. If any of these | | | | 10 times. |
| exercises are painful or if you have a history of | | | | Rest for 2 minutes and then repeat the above three |
| shoulder dislocations or subluxations you should not do | | | | movements for two more sets of ten in each direction. |
| these exercises without consulting your physical | | | | The "scapular clock" exercise |
| therapist. | | | | Stand so that your side is facing the wall. Place your |
| Exercises to help correct a forward shoulder posture | | | | palm flat on the wall, arm straight and out to your side. |
| are as follows: | | | | Hold your hand flat against the wall with your fingers |
| Chest stretch | | | | pointing up. Move your shoulder blade back and down. |
| Lie back on an exercise ball so that the ball is centered | | | | Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat this 5 times. Turn |
| around your midthoracic region (T7). Keep your | | | | your hand so your finders are facing forward, pull your |
| abdominal muscles engaged so as to protect your | | | | shoulder blade down and back. Hold this 10 seconds |
| back at all times. Raise your arms so that your | | | | and repeat 5 times. Next, turn your hand so that your |
| shoulders and elbows are at 90 degrees and allow | | | | fingers face back, pull your shoulder blade back and |
| gravity to pull your arms back toward the floor. Hold | | | | down. Hold this 10 seconds, and repeat 5 times. |
| this for 30 to 60 seconds. | | | | |