A Comprehensive Look at How Posture Affects the Shoulder
Shoulder pain is an all-too-common complaint, making routine activities like lifting, typing, and even sleeping difficult. It seems like every week we get a patient who comes to us with shoulder pain related to poor postural habits.
A lot of people know the old song about how the foot bone is connected to the knee bone (and the knee bone is connected to the thigh bone and so on). In the world of physical therapy, we call this regional interdependence. This means something in one area of the body is affecting another area. As the song says: it’s all connected. Well, this is definitely true when it comes to the functioning of our shoulder joints. Poor postural habits and prolonged slumped postures put the shoulder in a vulnerable position, making it susceptible to pain or injury. The good news is our therapists at Boost Physical Therapy have extensive training in identifying all the factors that are contributing to your shoulder pain and, most importantly, how to resolve them, one by one!
How Posture Impacts the Shoulder
One significant factor contributing to shoulder pain is Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS). This condition is characterized by postural changes that affect how the muscles of our upper back and shoulder girdle work, which in turn affects the normal movement patterns in the entire upper portion of the body.
The classic signs of Upper Crossed Syndrome include:
- Forward head posture: The head is positioned forward in relation to the shoulders.
- Rounded shoulders: The shoulders are rounded forward, causing the upper back to appear hunched.
- Increased thoracic kyphosis: The upper back has an increased curvature, leading to a rounded appearance.
- Protracted shoulder blades: The shoulder blades are positioned more forward and away from the spine.
- Weak deep neck flexors: The muscles at the front of the neck that help stabilize the head are weak.
- Tight pectoral muscles: The muscles in the chest area are tight and may contribute to the rounded shoulder posture.
- Weak scapular stabilizers: The muscles that stabilize the shoulder blades are weak, leading to altered movement patterns.
These issues often lead to shoulder pain, limited range of motion, and impaired muscle function. Although the signs are common in a lot of people, not everyone with these signs will have the same symptoms. This is why it is essential to consult one of our physical therapists to identify your specific needs and design a tailored treatment plan that addresses your situation.
The Role of Physical Therapy in Resolving Your Pain
The first step to resolving your shoulder pain is a comprehensive evaluation. Our physical therapists will conduct a thorough history and physical exam that includes an assessment of your posture as well as the function of your shoulder blade musculature to identify any obvious changes to muscle activation and movement patterns.
Based on the assessment, our physical therapists will design tailored exercise regimens that address not only muscle length and strength but also neuromuscular factors. This could lead to more lasting relief and functional improvement.
Our team uses a functional approach that is rooted in neurology. We consider the interaction between your nervous systems, biomechanics of your spine and shoulder joints, as well as muscle function. This allows us to not only identify and address any imbalances in muscle length and strength but also from neuromuscular factors like muscle recruitment.
These exercises may include work on your spinal joint mobility and strengthening exercises to correct any postural dysfunctions contributing to your conditions. Our team spends a lot of time educating you about how you are holding and moving your body to ensure you have the tools to train your body in the proper movement patterns that help to correct imbalances and offer lasting relief.
Go to the Pain, Not Through the Pain
The days of “no pain, no gain” are hopefully in the past. The idea of emphasizing pushing through discomfort to achieve results is not an effective solution for most people dealing with a painful condition, injury, or chronic condition. In fact, recent research suggests that a more holistic approach is effective and, indeed, safer for patients.
Pain is our body’s way of letting us know that something is happening in the body. When a nerve ending is triggered, an impulse travels to the brain, alerting us that something is happening. It is a warning sign or an alarm. How this impulse is interpreted varies from person to person and is influenced by a multitude of factors.
Aggressively pushing through pain can worsen the underlying issues and potentially result in long-term damage. The key is getting help from people who work with painful conditions every day, like our therapists at Boost Physical Therapy!
How Physical Therapy Can Help You Find Relief
In cases of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, applying excessive stress on already agitated tissues can prolong the healing process and even cause further injury. In comparison, going to the pain but not through it means cautiously approaching the edge of discomfort without crossing it, which can help your body progress without delaying your recovery.
Our objective is to work within a “therapeutic window”: a range of activities that stimulates the body’s natural healing mechanisms without triggering negative responses.
At Boost Physical Therapy, we educate our patients about pain to help them understand their conditions better and actively participate in treatment. Our therapist can help you learn “pacing,” where activities are broken down into manageable parts, helping you to avoid extreme ups and downs of feeling good one day and an increase in pain and inactivity the next.
By respecting the body’s pain signals and working within a therapeutic window, our approach aims to achieve long-term functional gains without the risks associated with pushing through pain.
Take the First Step Towards Lasting Relief Today
If you’re experiencing persistent shoulder pain, limited range of motion, or discomfort in your upper body, the time to act is now. These signs are not just distressing; they can have a long-term impact on your quality of life and overall well-being. Reach out to Boost Physical Therapy today for a comprehensive assessment and personalized treatment plan designed to restore balance to your muscles, improve your posture, and, most importantly, alleviate your pain!
Insurance Deductible Reminder
There’s no way around it: health insurance benefits can be absolutely mind-boggling.
Time after time, we’ve seen patients come through our doors with their insurance cards in one hand and their cell phones in the other as they call their insurance companies in an attempt to figure out what they need to pay for their treatment.
Now that the end of the year is getting closer, many patients have met their insurance deductibles. If this is you, this means your physical therapy treatment could cost you absolutely nothing!
Patients with family plans or those who have had major surgeries or chronic illnesses are especially likely to have a $0 balance remaining on their out-of-pocket expenses. This means that the cost of treatment at Boost Physical Therapy could be minimal or entirely covered by your insurance plan!
You should be enjoying time spent with your family instead of stressing about insurance and whether or not you can afford treatment.
If you’ve met your insurance deductible for the year, it’s a good idea to visit Boost Physical Therapy for treatment. We specialize in treating a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions and injuries and hold ourselves to high standards regarding our treatment methods and techniques.
Are you in need of physical therapy? Check in on your insurance deductibles and visit our clinic today. We’ll guide you through safe and affordable physical therapy treatment this fall!
Thai Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or use 2 cloves garlic, minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste (or freshly grated ginger)
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (optional)
- 3-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- Kosher salt
- 14 ounces canned unsweetened coconut milk, well shaken
- lime or lemon juice
Suggested toppings:
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- thinly sliced serrano or jalapeno chile
- roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- crushed red pepper flakes
- swirls of coconut cream
Directions:
-
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a 4-5 quart Dutch oven or stock pot over medium until shimmering.
-
Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent (about 6 minutes).
-
Scoot the onions to one side and add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil to the cleared side. Spoon the curry paste, ginger paste, lemongrass paste (if using), and garlic powder over the oil, and stir until fragrant. Mix into the onions.
-
Add the broth and the pumpkin puree, and mix thoroughly.
-
Raise the heat to bring the soup to an active simmer for 10 minutes.
-
Turn heat to low. Taste the soup and add salt by the big pinch until flavorful.
-
When the soup has completely stopped bubbling, whisk in the coconut milk.
-
Add a splash (or squeeze) of lemon or lime juice and taste. Adjust with additional salt, if necessary.
-
Serve with optional toppings.
-
Leftovers keep well for several days in the fridge.
