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Exercises For Shoulder Pain.Com |
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Expert Advice... |
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Avoid Shoulder Injury With Gentle Movement
Shoulder pain, is an indication from your body that something is wrong. It is natural in this case, and strongly recommended that you stop whatever you are doing, and pay attention to the pain.
However, the body is wired in such a way, that it has an excessive fear of getting hurt. What happens quite commonly, is that due to this fear, most people end up not using the shoulder at all.
This can cause the shoulder to stiffen up even further, and the problem becomes exacerbated. The only way to prevent this, is to ensure that you keep your shoulder moving. The old adage is true - "Use it, or lose it".
Importance of Shoulder Movement
When your shoulder is injured, it is important to keep your shoulder moving, because you want the bones to set properly, in case it is a structural problem, and you want to prevent the formation of scar tissue that will leave your shoulder even less room for movement.
It's not unlike a car's engine. If you start up your car every day for 10 mins, or take it for a drive, you give it a chance to clean itself out, and resolve blockages early. The same is true for your shoulder when it is injured. You don't want the healing process to take place in such a way that you can use your shoulder again.
Moving your shoulder around tells your body that you want to retain the use in those directions, and not to block them for protection. It will also help to soften up, or break up the scar tissue that has formed in the process of your shoulder healing.
How to keep your shoulder moving
From the above lines, you must not conclude that you should go on using your shoulder in the same way that you have been doing till now. Your body is injured, and it needs rest. There are specific ways in which you can retain mobility of your shoulder during recovery.
Don't strain yourself
The most important thing is not to strain yourself. Typically, when you have shoulder pain, there will be a particular range of motion during which the pain will be felt. You will know this from experience. While maintaining your shoulder mobility, ensure that you do not cross this barrier. Make sure that you pass around it, so that you can still go where you want to, without straining that part of your body that is injured.
Shoulder Exercise
A good exercise, is to lie on your stomach with your arm hanging down, and to gently swing it in 15 degree angles. This will loosen up your shoulder, and as your pain decreases, increase the range of motion to say, 45 degrees.
Or you could try bending over, taking support from a chair or table, and moving your body so that your shoulder swings in circles. Remember, take it easy. The aim is to let your joints have movement, while your muscles, and ligaments are healing.
Listen to your body
The best way to deal with this, is to listen to your body. You should be able to detect "Bad Pain" from "Good Pain". If you're doing something wrong, your body will protest in a manner that will make itself very clear.
Seek the help of a physiotherapist or osteopath to ensure that your shoulder gets all the help it needs, follow their advice and do the recommended exercises from my book to make your shoulder better.
