Happy Spring! If you live in Wisconsin you know we use the word loosely compared to the standard definition of spring in other parts of the country. The landscape is drab, kids wear winter coats to hunt for Easter eggs, and flowers risk freezing until June. Nonetheless, we feel hopeful when the 7 day forecast identifies the potential for sun and 50 degree temps by the end of the week.
Spring and summer sports like baseball, swimming, and tennis place a lot of emphasis on the shoulder joint. Motions like throwing a baseball, serving a tennis ball, freestyle swimming stroke or even fitness pursuits like bench presses and push ups all strengthen muscles of the shoulder internal rotators. These muscles (lats, pec major, and teres major) tend to be larger and stronger than their external rotator counterparts (infraspinatus and teres minor.) As a result one can experience increased tightness, shoulder pain, and postural deficits. In addition, basic activities like typing at a computer, holding a child, driving, or simply sitting slumped in a chair can contribute to chest and shoulder tightness.
Exercises that strengthen the external rotators and scapula stabilizers will help diminish neck and shoulder tightness. When mid and lower traps are strengthened the upper traps no longer feel "misled" to hold our body up (i.e. as if your shoulders were connected to your ear-lobes.) In addition strengthening your core with Pilates minimizes shoulder stress as we learn to lift and stabilize from our center rather than our shoulders.
One of the easiest and most effective exercise to do to strengthen this region is simply lateral rowing. This can be done seated with an exercise band around your feet, standing with the band stable around a fixed structure, or using the Pilates reformer machine in a seated or kneeling position. The seated lateral row takes stress off of the shoulders while working the low and mid trapezius muscles. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you row and imagine a string on the top of your head pulling the body upwards.
Spring and summer sports like baseball, swimming, and tennis place a lot of emphasis on the shoulder joint. Motions like throwing a baseball, serving a tennis ball, freestyle swimming stroke or even fitness pursuits like bench presses and push ups all strengthen muscles of the shoulder internal rotators. These muscles (lats, pec major, and teres major) tend to be larger and stronger than their external rotator counterparts (infraspinatus and teres minor.) As a result one can experience increased tightness, shoulder pain, and postural deficits. In addition, basic activities like typing at a computer, holding a child, driving, or simply sitting slumped in a chair can contribute to chest and shoulder tightness.
Exercises that strengthen the external rotators and scapula stabilizers will help diminish neck and shoulder tightness. When mid and lower traps are strengthened the upper traps no longer feel "misled" to hold our body up (i.e. as if your shoulders were connected to your ear-lobes.) In addition strengthening your core with Pilates minimizes shoulder stress as we learn to lift and stabilize from our center rather than our shoulders.
One of the easiest and most effective exercise to do to strengthen this region is simply lateral rowing. This can be done seated with an exercise band around your feet, standing with the band stable around a fixed structure, or using the Pilates reformer machine in a seated or kneeling position. The seated lateral row takes stress off of the shoulders while working the low and mid trapezius muscles. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you row and imagine a string on the top of your head pulling the body upwards.
Another favorite postural exercise is the prone elbow raise. In yoga, the cobra pose also strengthens these upper back muscles. Lying on your stomach, with elbows bent 90 degrees, focus on floating the arms while gently squeezing and drawing the shoulder blades down your back.
Standing at the tower, we can use the spring resistance for single or double arm rows. When using the Pilates tower, there is an added challenge of stabilizing the core against the spring resistance.
When you consider improving the balance of the upper body we cannot neglect the position of the head and neck. Ideally our ears sit directly over our shoulders, however repetitive activities and postures often contribute to a forward head position which adds stress to the neck and upper back. When you are in your car, notice if your head is touching the headrest. Work to retract the forward head by gently drawing the chin down and back. An easy exercise: Place two fingers on your chin...now gently draw your chin away from your fingers.
Finally, the big internal rotators tend to get short and tight while the external rotators become lengthened and weak. We discussed a few exercises to strengthen the external rotators but a nice stretch for the internal rotators would also be in order.
On a personal note, the more I acknowledge tension and tightness the more it seems to persist. For this reason utilizing my foam roller for gentle realignment of my posture is often of greater value to me than an isolated stretch. Recently a client noted the release of her shoulders and neck muscles when she focused on actively lifting the arches of her feet during the reformer knee stretch series. The knee stretch exercise was not designed to release upper body tension however because of the neural-fascial relationships that exist between the feet and the rest of the body an ease of movement and release of tension occurred effortlessly.
Finally, the big internal rotators tend to get short and tight while the external rotators become lengthened and weak. We discussed a few exercises to strengthen the external rotators but a nice stretch for the internal rotators would also be in order.
On a personal note, the more I acknowledge tension and tightness the more it seems to persist. For this reason utilizing my foam roller for gentle realignment of my posture is often of greater value to me than an isolated stretch. Recently a client noted the release of her shoulders and neck muscles when she focused on actively lifting the arches of her feet during the reformer knee stretch series. The knee stretch exercise was not designed to release upper body tension however because of the neural-fascial relationships that exist between the feet and the rest of the body an ease of movement and release of tension occurred effortlessly.
A basic pec stretch can be performed at a door frame. Place the palm and forearm, with the elbow bent at 90 degrees, on the door frame. Take a small step forward with the feet in a staggered lunge position. Gently press the body forward and slightly away from the bent arm. Hold stretch for 20 seconds.
This is the tip of the iceberg with regards to healthy neck, shoulders and back. Much of improving this region lies in turning off the larger tonic muscles (pecs, upper traps and biceps) and turning on smaller, phasic muscles which are ideal for movement (low/mid traps, serratus, supra and infraspinatus.) This is a re-education process for your mind to direct your body to initiate from the smaller muscles. For this reason we often use only body weight or light weights to strengthen these areas...particularly when re-educating movement patterns.
One website I found which has excellent illustrations as well as reputation is the Emory University and Atlanta Swimming Physical Therapy site. It includes clear illustrations of shoulder stabilization and range of motion exercises to enhance balance and strength in the upper body. Thank you for reading.
http://www.atlantaswimming.com/healthindex_files/Page343.htm
One website I found which has excellent illustrations as well as reputation is the Emory University and Atlanta Swimming Physical Therapy site. It includes clear illustrations of shoulder stabilization and range of motion exercises to enhance balance and strength in the upper body. Thank you for reading.
http://www.atlantaswimming.com/healthindex_files/Page343.htm
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