Ben Taylor, Tailored Health, 12/09/2017

If you have ever had shoulder pain you understand how big an impact it has on completing even the little daily tasks, like reaching above your head or brushing your teeth . I'd like to breakdown the complex area of shoulder injuries and give you a starting point for improving your shoulder function.

Our shoulders are a highly versatile joint, being able to complete 360⁰ of movement when in healthy condition. A problem with the large movement potential of the shoulder is it also makes the joint more susceptible to injury. Lets split the shoulder into two parts.

1) Gleno-humeral joint, which is the ball and socket, with the top of the humerus fitting into the socket (glenoid fossa)

2) Shoulder Girdle provides added support and is the outer shell of the ball and socket joint. It's made up of:

a) Acromioclavicular joint: top hook part of shoulder blade and collarbone

b) Sternoclavicular joint: collarbone and sternum/breast bone

c) Scapulothoracic joint: shoulder blade and rib cage

These 3 joints form a team to help make things easier for the ball and socket joint. When part (or all) of the shoulder girdle malfunctions we often place extra stress on the other team members which often leads to pain via impingement, tendonitis or bursitis. Hunched, rounded shoulder posture, often from prolonged desk work or being on new technology, are main contributors to the shoulder pain.

Although the shoulder may be the source of the pain, often it isn't the underlying cause of the pain. This is why I'd encourage you to start working on getting your shoulder girdle in an optimum position first. Work on loosening up tight muscles in your upper back to promote better movement of your shoulder blades (scapulothoracic) which will in turn pay dividends at your ball and socket joint. 3 ways of how to do this are:

Keep an eye out for next time where I'll answer one of the members injury or exercise question.

If you feel you can relate and have shoulder pain or just want to know more I’d love to hear from you.

Email me @: ben@tailoredhealth.com.au or call me directly on 0434 451 226

Thanks,

Where to Start with Shoulder Pain