Stop It Before It Starts: Simple Tips to Prevent Shoulder Pain

What Causes Shoulder Pain and Injury, Anyway?

Your shoulder is an incredibly complex ball-and-socket joint with several moving parts, including:

• Three separate bones: the humerus (arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone)
• Cartilage that wraps and protects these bones from rubbing against each other
• Three main ligaments that connect your shoulder’s bones
• A collection of muscles and tendons known as the rotator cuff that wrap and support the shoulder joint
• Bursae: small fluid-filled sacs that protect your tendons

Damaging any of these structures can lead to shoulder pain, weakness, and immobility. Some people injure their shoulders through sudden, acute injuries, especially if they’re active — a hard fall on the football field could tear your rotator cuff or dislocate the arm bone out of your shoulder socket.

However, many shoulder injuries are actually overuse injuries, meaning the pain and immobility symptoms occur due to repeated micro-injuries in your shoulder’s tissue. Often, sports-related shoulder injuries are actually due to overuse, as repeated overhead motions (such as throwing a ball or certain swimming strokes) put stress on the shoulder joint, leading to symptoms.

Using improper form can also contribute to overuse injuries, as can having improper posture — a weak upper back strains your shoulder muscles, making them do more work than needed. 

Preventing shoulder pain is really about preventing these overuse injuries. By making small changes, you can keep your shoulders strong, healthy, and pain-free! 

Five Ways You Can Help Prevent Shoulder Pain

• Strengthen your upper body: Strong upper back and shoulder muscles are better able to provide the shoulder joint with the support and stability it needs, meaning you’ll be less likely to suffer an injury. Not sure how to get started? Our PTs can walk you through some appropriate exercises.
• Keep your mobility: We can show you simple range of motion exercises that will get the blood flowing to your joints, keeping them healthy. Reaching overhead, across your body, or behind your back are all basic stretches that can do wonders — just make sure you never force a movement! 
• Don’t forget to warm up first: Many popular recreational activities put you at risk for a shoulder injury, including swimming, pickleball, and tennis. It’s crucial that you warm up your shoulder before you dive in. Try some quick cardio paired with active shoulder stretches (like arm circles).
• Maintain proper posture: Proper posture isn’t about standing up straight all the time; it’s about maintaining postural awareness and keeping your spine in alignment no matter what you’re doing. And if you have a sedentary job, move around regularly. Both habits will help keep your upper back and shoulder strong.
• Pay attention to ergonomics. If your workspace isn’t shoulder-friendly, you might wind up with an overuse injury. Simple changes — like adjusting the height of your computer monitor or maintaining good posture when using hand tools — will reduce repetitive stress and lower your chances of developing shoulder pain.

5 Ways to Get Active for New Year’s

If you’re like the vast majority of people, your New Year’s resolution is to start exercising more. There’s a reason why this resolution is so popular— exercise is important! And it’s something that many people don’t get enough of. 

Luckily, there are some easy ways you can start getting active today. Are you ready to stick to your resolution this year? Check out these 5 tips for getting moving.

1. Walk around your neighborhood 

Walking may not sound like a strenuous exercise, but it has many benefits and is perfect for getting back into the swing of things. Regular brisk walking can help you: 

• Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat
• Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes
• Improve cardiovascular fitness
• This is also an easy activity to do with a friend or neighbor. You can also listen to your favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks while you walk. 

2. Choose a workout buddy

Working out with another person can help hold us accountable. Even in the new year, there will be days when staying in bed sounds much better than heading to the gym. Having another person counting on you to exercise with them is a great way to ensure you stick to your resolution this year. 

3. Sign up for a class or an adult sports league 

Another way to hold yourself accountable is by committing to a scheduled class or team. Whether you sign up for a dance, yoga, or pilates class, the financial investment required may motivate you to stick to your routine. And working out with others in a team or class environment is a great way to meet new people and have fun!

4. Join a new gym

If you don’t already have a gym membership, signing up for one is a great way to motivate yourself to get active. Many people prefer working out in a gym instead of at home, where you have access to tons of equipment and fitness classes in some cases. Check out your local recreation center to see what kind of deals they offer this New Year. 

5. Download an app that reminds you to get moving

Let’s face it– we spend a lot of time on our phones. Why not use your phone to remind you and encourage you to exercise? There is a huge variety of free apps on the market that can do this– and there’s no shortage of free fitness apps either.  

Share Your Success Story

Love your experience with Kinect Physio? Click the button to leave us a Google review—your feedback helps others find the care they need!