Fast Fitness - Easy Start to Mobilize Shoulder and Scapula
Friday, February 19, 2010
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM
- On any surface you are comfortable, go to hands and knees. Keep your arms straight at the elbow. Let your upper body sink under your weight so that your shoulder blades roll back and come towards each other. Your shoulder blades may stick out like wings, photo 1 below.
- Correct that problem by pulling your upper back to a straighter position, photo 2 below.
- Alternately sink and pull upward to correct the winging. Improve by increasing the number and speed you can correct. Use the hands-and-knees position to get the idea. As soon as you have the concept of how to move, use the full pushup position, called plank, to get off your knees and get real exercise.
The standing version of this drill is in my book Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery. Thank you to Dr. Johannes Ernst, who wrote in about using hands and knees to get started:
"I should mention I'm actually doing a variation of the scapular mobilization exercise which I have found to be more effective for me: basically like a push-up, but propped up on knees and elbows. That way I can extend the amplitude of the back and forth movement further than if standing up. That additional stretch does seem to make a difference, and it seems to work some muscles as I can do only about 30 or so before I run out of steam."
Related Fun Fitness Fixer:
- In December, reader Yash demonstrated this fun mobilization/stabilization retraining drill using the plank - Fast Fitness - Mobilize and Strengthen With Serratus PushUps.
- Dr. Ernst tells about fixing Headache From Head Position
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Read success stories and send your own.
See if your answers are already here - click Fitness Fixer labels, links, archives, and Index.
Subscribe free - updates via e-mail or RSS, upper right.
For personal medical questions - Replies to Medical Questions.
Limited Class space for personal feedback. Top students may earn certification through DrBookspan.com/Academy. Learn more in Dr. Bookspan's Books.
Labels: arm, chest, fast fitness, posture, scapula, serratus anterior, shoulder
4 Comments:
At Saturday, February 20, 2010 5:28:00 PM,
Unknown said…
Dr. Bookspan, I know this isn't shoulder related, but I've been wanting to ask you about running. I've tried to get started a few times over the past year, but always had burning shin pain. I even went to a fancy running store and bought fancy expensive shoes for my "flat feet", hoping it would help with my shin pain from running - which it didn't. Before and after the shoes, it seemed that the more I tried to run, the more the front of my shins burned the next day. I stretched plenty, but, this was before I knew about your stuff, so I don't think I was stretching anything right.
Anyway, how do I get this pain to stop?
Also, regarding shoes - you've said to use whatever cheap shoe you can get. Can you recommend a good pair that provides as little support as possible?
Thank you!
At Tuesday, February 23, 2010 4:55:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
To Drew, check your source. I have said that both healthy and unhealthy mechanics are possible in an expensive shoe, cheap shoe, or barefoot, and that neither expensive shoes nor going barefoot automatically fix problems. Bad shoes of any kind contribute to pain. I have never said to use whatever cheap shoe you can get. Do you run on your toes, not rolling heel to toe? That is a common contributor. Do you bang hard on landings? Do you run with toes pointed outward (duck-footed) or turned in? To stop your shin pain, see what is causing it.
At Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:22:00 PM,
Unknown said…
I apologize, Dr. Bookspan, my memory must have misquoted you on that!
I've been making sure to run heel to toe. I used to kind of run on my forefoot, which I think caused part of my problem before. I'm also fairly sure that my feet are straight while I run.
I think part of my problem is that I'm running on The Dreadmill so it's tough to set my pace, and I'm also probably landing heavily. Any tips on lightening my landings? I can see what you mean, but as strange as it is to say, I can't really understand how.
Thanks again in advance.
At Thursday, March 11, 2010 8:03:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
To Drew, Good you checked about running on forefoot. "Trudging" slides your weight forward onto shin muscles. Are your shins strong? What do you do for them to work, not strain while you run?
To run lightly, see if your answers are already here - click Fitness Fixer labels, links, archives, and Index. You will find
Walk Lightly - Shock Absorption for Happier Joints and Walking Softly Benefits Olympic Wrestler, and others. Checking for topics ahead of time gets you info already here, and lets you put comments in that category so others looking at that topic can benefit.
I don't know why it is tough to set pace on an automated treadmill (you run at whatever pace you want), but Dreadmill is a good one.
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