Stretching and Top Tips to Help Prevent Shoulder Injuries
Your shoulder muscles, tendons and ligaments can be injured due to playing sports, overuse or overextending your arm repeatedly, manual labor such as lifting heavy objects and more. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, about 16 million Americans visited their doctors for a shoulder problem in 2010. More than 2.7 million of those patients were diagnosed as shoulder sprains and strains. Although shoulder injuries are frequent they can also be prevented by properly stretching and staying in shape.
Staying in shape overall is a great way to help prevent injuries. Practice exercises that help strengthen your arm, shoulder, wrist, neck and back muscles. Using small free weights is a great way to exercise shoulder muscles, along with plank walks and push-ups. Cardio exercises, like boxing and dancing, are also great ways to strengthen these muscles. Remember to warm up well and do dynamic stretches before exercising to get your muscles moving, as well as stretches to cool down your muscles so they do not shorten or cramp up after a workout.
When you lift heavy objects, use proper body movement so you avoid straining your shoulders. Don’t carry objects that are too heavy and avoid overusing your arm by doing repeated heavy lifting that could put further strain on your muscles. Use a step stool instead of standing on a chair or an unsteady object so you don’t have to strain to reach.
Dynamic stretching and strengthening exercises can help prevent shoulder issues, as they focus on stretching the back of the shoulder and strengthening the muscles around the shoulder blade. For instance, you can do wall push-ups, where you stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall and your feet shoulder width apart as you perform a push-up. Or try lying on your stomach with your arms by your side, then draw your shoulder blades together and down your back. Doing exercises like these can help support the shoulder joint and keep it stable while also restoring range of motion.
Maintaining good posture is another way to help prevent shoulder injuries. Bear your weight on the balls of your feet and let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Stand straight and tall instead of slouching and keep your shoulders relaxed. Moreover, avoid sitting in one place or one position for long periods of time.
If you do feel you may have injured your shoulder, apply an ice pack and rest. And if you still feel it’s hurting, schedule an appointment to see us.