The shoulder is a complicated body part. It is an extremely mobile joint that is able to move within many different planes of movement; however, as a result of its ability to move excessively, its stability may sometimes become compromised. In addition, there are other parts of our body that are required to move efficiently in sync with the shoulder in order for healthy shoulder mobility to occur. Because the shoulder is quite complex, proximal body parts are often overlooked when creating various shoulder exercise programs. The glenohumeral joint (shoulder ball-and-socket joint) sits on the scapula (shoulder blade), which moves in accord with the thoracic spine (Mid-Back). A shoulder exercise program is not comprehensive unless all components of the shoulder are addressed. This article will help you understand the various motions that must occur at the shoulder, the spine, and upper extremity as an entire unit, as well as show you excellent exercises that will guide you in how to bulletproof your shoulders!
The barbell bench press is arguably one of the most effective movements in developing strength and power in the upper body. It’s a great way to train the primary pushers of the upper body, including the pectoralis group, the deltoids, and the triceps. Despite the bench press being such a vital movement to help with horizontal pushing, it is one of those movements that every now and then will be limited secondary to shoulder pain, frequently in the front part of the shoulder. If bench pressing creates irritation in your shoulder, the answer is not to avoid bench pressing for 6 weeks and hope that you will magically be capable of bench-pressing pain-free again. The worst thing to do is nothing, which would lead to weakness and potentially creating more of an issue. This article will take you through 3 steps to allow you to bench press without shoulder pain.
Are you an overhead athlete looking for a shoulder injury prevention program? This article will highlight some of the exercises and programming from a 7-month, 3-phase overhead shoulder injury prevention program. This program was designed for in-season handball players, however, these principles will apply for any overhead athlete.
Scapular dyskinesis (aka SICK scapula syndrome) is an alteration or deviation in the normal resting or active position of the scapula during shoulder movement. This observation of "abnormal" or "erratic" movement is often associated with pain. But does scapular dyskinesis actually cause a painful shoulder? Does SICK scapula equal pain?
