Shoulder pain from stiff shoulders??
When talking about the "overhead athlete," a lot is focused on improving the ability to get full, overhead range of motion.
We've talked about tight lats and how they can cause shoulder problems.
I've also mentioned how the biceps can HELP a shoulder issue!
However, we cannot disregard INTERNAL ROTATION (IR).
IR is basically the ability to turn your palm down or do activities such as reaching behind your back.
This is really important in activities such as crossfit, throwing, swimming, and jiu jitsu since these require us to have good, IR.
When our shoulders are too stiff, we can lose IR. This can cause problems because the shoulder will compensate by sliding forward in the joint, leading to rotator cuff pain, labrum issues, and bicep tendon issues.
Check out this video of a few exercises I give my patients to help them improve their IR.
Here are a few exercises I have my patients do when we need to start improving IR.
Trigger point release to the infraspinatus: to "loosen" up the tissue so that it can stretch, more.
Sleeper stretch: to stretch the back of the shoulder joint.
Shoulder CARs on the wall: to get some muscle activation into IR.
Now, it is important to note that if a person is already too flexible in the joint, getting more IR may not be the best thing to do.
This is why it is imperative to reach out and get an assessment so that we can figure out an individualized plan for you, to get your shoulder feeling better.
Whether it's dry needling, manual therapy, or exercise, we will develop an individualized plan of care to get you back in action ASAP.
If you're looking for Reno Physical Therapy that can get you back on track, then set up a complimentary 20 min phone consult!
No one wants to be sidelined because of a shoulder injury.
Thanks for reading!
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