Shoulder Pain

With the dog days of summer upon us, everyone’s training is in full swing. The latter part of summer is definitely the active season for most folks which means the risk of injury is increased. Many summer activities including swimming, tennis, baseball, golf, crossfit, spartan/warrior type races, and many more can be very tough on the shoulders. Most of the time clients with shoulder injuries had great intentions for getting into shape and ready for their sport or activity, but then life happened and it seemed to just sneak up on them. When you do not properly ease into training, your body is at a very high risk for injury. The shoulder has such a variety of range of motion which makes it very vulnerable to injury. When we start an activity at the level we stopped at last year, we  are asking for trouble. Jobs that require we sit at a desk all day only make the risk higher. Our shoulders are stuck in a forward position most of the day and the muscles get used to this, so when we try to get them into new positions with our sport/exercise they will not be moving efficiently.

Shoulder pain and tension can be bad enough, but the truth is a lot of other injuries can come from the shoulders and neck area as well. Having tight chest muscles from sitting at a desk and then exercises that strengthen the chest cause a serious forward posture. This can lead to numbness and tingling in the arms and hands, upper back pain, neck pain, as well as low back pain. It is important to take time throughout the day to stretch and just be in a different position. Making sure you strengthen your upper back is crucial for anyone that is working at a desk, driving all day or any other job that is keeping your arms/neck/head forward.

When you come in for a massage, we will focus specifically on getting your body back in balance. We ask questions about your daily life and any random events that have taken place that could have had some effect on you. Our goal is to find and treat the CAUSE of your pain, not only the symptoms, so you can avoid the same injury in the future and move more efficiently in general.

If you are preparing for a competition, or are experiencing acute or chronic pain, call today and schedule your appointment!  919.322.8382