Shoulder pain with pressing
One of the more common injuries I see in the clinic is a sharp pain in the shoulder with bench press and overhead pressing movements. It can have several causes including a torn rotator cuff which if that is the case would require further intervention. Typically though the problem is stemming from general irritation in the tendons around the shoulder, which is due to poor mechanics. The shoulder is a joint that requires more muscular control than most, so it is important to have stability training in your routine to assist with this.
One overarching theme for lifters especially is that you want to pull as much or more than you press in order to keep the shoulder healthy. This is counter to how most people workout, but it is important to prevent injuries. So if you can bench press 75 lb dumbbells (or 10 lbs, the weight is all relative) for 3 sets of 10, you should be able to do at least the same with a single arm bent over row.
The below exercises are designed to assist with scapular strength and stability as well as overall shoulder control. If you are having pain at the moment, it is important to stop doing the movement that is causing pain to allow the inflammation to heal. Then as you build back the stability in your shoulder you can safely incorporate pressing and increase your weight more effectively.
*banded ER
*prone t
*single arm row
*ER with elevation
*KB rotation
Chronic Low Back Pain
It all begins with an idea.
Almost everyone has felt an achy back at some point. Whether waiting in line or after sitting all day our backs are exposed to countless forms of stress. Fortunately, fixing your back pain does not need to be difficult or expensive. There are obviously more serious conditions that require further analysis by a trained professional, but in my years of experience I have found 80% of low back pain is alleviated with the below stretches. It is important to note that this is a short term fix. The true fix is lifestyle modification, so if you would like to learn more send an inquiry through the link at the bottom.
*insert hip flexor stretch video
The reason most people have a chronically tight back is because they sit too long which causes the hip flexors to tighten which then compresses joints in the back. There are several options to stretch your hip flexors in the below video. Find the version that best suits your level at the moment and make sure you are feeling the stretch in the front of your hip instead of your back.
After releasing the muscle that is causing the compression it is important to get the joints in the back to move better. This is where the pelvic tilt exercise is essential. Having your feet elevated allows the hamstrings to assist in the posterior rotation needed to open the space in the back. Follow along in the video and comment if there are any questions or difficulties.
*insert pelvic tilt video
Now that those 2 are completed the final step is to stretch the back with combined motions. My favorite (and most of my patients) is the open book stretch. This allows you to stretch from the lumbar spine at the bottom, up through the thoracic and even into the cervical spine. There are a few modifications available based on symptom level so pay attention to how your body feels and find what is best for you.
*insert open book stretch
With those 3 moves in your arsenal you should feel more confident to move with less pain. As always this is only one step in the process of overall wellness so if you have questions or would like to learn more don’t hesitate to reach out. Helping people feel good is what I enjoy most in life.
Acute Low Back Pain
It all begins with an idea.
You tried to lift a heavy box and felt a sharp pain in your back. Maybe you were tying your shoe and had to sneeze. Or it’s possible you just bent over to pick a penny off the ground before remembering money isn’t real any more. There are too many options to list of how people injure their backs these days. Whatever the cause may be, the important thing is to limit the damage once the initial injury is done. There are several red flags with acute back pain that require diagnosis and treatment by a medical professional including leg weakness, drop foot or bowel/bladder changes. If you are experiencing any of those then do not hesitate to seek treatment. For the other injuries the pain may be severe but with the right approach the damage can be minimized.
There are several steps to properly heal low back pain but the initial step is always to decrease the inflammatory response. This is accomplished best with diaphragm breathing. Follow along with the video and comment if you have any questions.
*Insert video on diaphragm breathing
After the acute injury is healed the real work is in fixing what made your back susceptible to injury in the first place. This is unfortunately not a straightforward process and is different for everyone so contact us for a tailored program. The 2 exercises below however are my 2 favorites for early stage recovery and may be all you need to feel better quickly. The key is that they should not cause any pain when completing them. Best of luck and pass the video on to a friend who doesn't have pain at the moment to limit their future risk.
*insert video on bridges/dead bug
Chronic Neck Pain
It all begins with an idea.
Just like with low back pain, there are numerous stressors throughout life that can create neck pain. If you woke up with a stiff neck then this article is better suited to you. *** link to acute neck pain
If however you have been experiencing pain and stiffness for weeks to months, then continue reading. The cervical spine does not take as much stress as the lumbar spine due to the weight of gravity, but it is still prone to similar pain. Step one is to relax the muscles that are creating most of the tension to start with which is typically the upper traps. This muscle group starts from the shoulder and goes up to the base of the skull which is why tightness here can cause headaches. To relieve the tension you want to engage the mid and low trap muscles with scapular retraction exercises. This works by bringing the shoulder blades down and creating a stretch through the upper part of the upper trap fibers.
*link to scapular retraction
Step 2 is sometimes limited by the anatomy of the spine so if it is difficult to complete, then seeing a qualified professional is important to maximize your recovery. But the best exercise is an upper trap stretch.
*link to UT stretch
One of my favorite ways to compliment this is with a pin and stretch using a theracane. I have no investment in this product, but it is the piece of equipment I recommend most. By pinning the muscle down and stretching it you are able to achieve a deeper stretch and better relaxation.
*UT pin and stretch
After relaxing the upper trap it is important to strengthen the postural muscles that have become weakened over time. This is accomplished with rows and back flys or various other exercises. There is no one right exercise, but the important thing is to make sure you are activating the right muscles instead of just doing the movement. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out because once you learn how to do it right, you will be better equipped to handle new stress that arises.
*rows, back flys, pull up
Acute Neck Pain
It all begins with an idea.
Most people know what it feels like to wake up with a stiff neck. Often there is no specific reason for this, but if you treat it right away it can become just a minor annoyance rather than days of pain.
Step 1 is typically to practice some diaphragm breathing to relax the muscles and lower the stress response in the body. When the neck muscles tighten it is easy to become stressed which feeds into the problem. By practicing deep breathing you prevent this from worsening.
The next step is to get the muscles moving but typically not stretching right into the tension. I like to accomplish this with an open book stretch as well as thoracic ext.
*link to open book, thoracic ext
It is also important to keep the neck moving early on. It will be painful but if you go slow and careful, you can help speed up how quickly you recover.
*link to Cervical AROM, SNAG
If done correctly this should only be something that lasts for 24-48 hours. If you notice that this condition keeps recurring then it is possible there are some deeper weakness issues in your postural muscles that can be addressed with physical therapy. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more.