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Exercises to improve your spine and shoulder stiffness

12/5/2022

Written by: Melanie Talastas-Soriano CAT(C) Athletic Therapist

Did you know that poor posture can be the culprit for your shoulder pain and stiffness? Not many people are aware that our posture is directly linked to thoracic spine joint stiffness and can cause shoulder impingements (shoulder pain) due to rounded shoulders and kyphotic back (hunch over/spine stiffness).

There have been many requests for shoulder rehab tips and so here are a few that can help you get started from home. We chose these specific exercises that can help relieve your spine/shoulder pain and stiffness using a foam roller.

Thoracic extension on the foam roller. This exercise focuses on the thoracic spine opening and stretching the chest and front of the shoulder. Find three tight spots on the upper/mid-back and extend 5 times on each spots slowly. Be sure to breathe out as you bring your muscle to the stretch position. (see video below)
Child’s pose with shoulder flexion. One of the popular stretches for the latissimus dorsi (muscles under the arm) at the same time focusing on the forward shoulder mobility. Be sure you do not rotate your body when moving the arm up. Focus on the shoulder movements only when lifting one at a time. (see video below)
Thoracic spine rotation focuses on the muscle in between your shoulder blades (rhomboids and mid trapezius muscles). Always exhale when going into deeper stretch. (see video)
Y, T, W’s laying on the foam roller will give your more range of motion as you get into the anterior shoulder stretches. The best part of this stretch is that you’re laying down and you’re using the gravity to help with the stretch. The arm and shoulder movement targets different muscle fibers of the pectoral muscles. These are great stretches and hold for 3 seconds each before moving into the next one. (see video)

Want a customized rehab program for you shoulder pain? Book your appointment online or send us a message on FB or Instagram.

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Strain or Sprain.. What's the difference?

8/10/2022

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Written by: Taylor Post CAT(C), Certified Athletic Therapist

Most people use the term strain or sprain interchangeably, but they are actually different injuries that affect different structures within the body. While both injuries involve soft issue in and around a joint, a strain specifically refers to damage to muscles or tendons, while a sprain involves ligaments. The symptoms of a sprain and a strain are very similar (pain, swelling, even bruising) - so it’s no wonder they are easy to mix up!

A joint sprain is the overstretching or tearing of ligaments. Ligaments are bands of fibrous connective tissue that connect bone to bone. The main purpose of a ligament is to hold structures together, so an injury to a ligament (sprain) will often result in instability of the joint.

A joint strain is the overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. Tendons mostly connect muscle to bone. Their main function is to move the bone or structure that they attach to. For this reason a strained muscle or tendon often involves weakness.

If you suspect that you have sustained a strain or sprain, the outlook and recovery time will depend on the severity of the injury. A full assessment by an Athletic Therapist will determine any deficits in joint range of motion, function or strength. Getting a proper diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible after the injury can only help achieve a faster recovery!

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What is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

7/15/2022

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Written by: Taylor Post CAT(C), Certified Athletic Therapist

Maybe you’re getting back in the gym after a long time away, or did a particularly tough workout yesterday. Could be a full day doing yard work or playing with your grandkids? Regardless of the cause, this increase in activity can leave you sore in places you’ve never felt before. You may not even be able to walk very well… and good luck sitting down on the toilet!

While it can be quite painful and debilitating, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a totally normal body process. It’s the pain you feel 24-72 hours after physical activity as a result of microscopic tears in our muscles. The body responds to this micro-trauma by increasing inflammation in order to repair the damage and rebuild stronger tissue. Delayed onset muscle soreness should not be confused with acute muscle pain. Discomfort or pain felt during or immediately after workout is a different kind of muscle soreness. For example, the burning in your legs at the end of a heavy squat set would disappear shortly after you stop squatting. Alternatively, any sharp or sudden pain felt while exercising may be caused by an acute injury (strain, sprain etc.) and should be managed differently.

Experiencing DOMS after a workout means you worked hard enough to trigger changes in the muscle. This does not mean however, that you need to feel soreness after exercise for it to have been an effective or meaningful workout. It’s just a signal from our body to ease up and allow the body to recover/rebuild.

The bad news is, DOMS can affect just about everyone, from elite athletes to beginners. Regardless of fitness level, you will experience soreness if you crank up your workout intensity or try a new type of activity that your body isn’t used to. The good news is that this pain is temporary (DOMS usually resolve after 2-4 days), and that your body will naturally adapt to come back stronger. There are also steps that you can take to help ease your pain in the meantime. Check out the list below for a quick guide to defeating DOMS.

Take Time to Rest/ Sleep

Really the only cure for DOMS is time. It is important to rest and not just keep pushing your body harder or through the pain, which could lead to injury. While recovering you may need to plan workouts that focus on other muscle groups or simply take full rest days. Sleep is also essential to the recovery process because it allows the body to restore, rebuild and adapt.

Hydrate

Drinking water before and during physical activity can help prevent muscle soreness by maintaining blood volume and the bodies electrolyte balance. The proper balance between water and electrolytes is crucial to how our systems function, including nerves and muscles.
Replenishing fluids after exercise is also important because muscles are made up of a high percentage of water. Water flushes toxins out of the muscles, transports fresh nutrients into the cells and helps regulate body temperature and pH balance.

Heat/Cold Therapy

A warm bath with Epsom Salts, or heating pad can help soothe muscle soreness by increasing circulation and relieving muscle tension.
Alternatively, a cold shower or ice bath can offer some pain relief and has even been thought to reduce inflammation… but research on their effectiveness has been unclear.
Can’t decide? Try a contrast shower, alternating between temperatures will cause the blood vessels to dilate and constrict, promoting blood flow.

I hope this helped. Be Sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Exercises to improve your spine and shoulder stiffness

Strain or Sprain.. What's the difference?

What is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

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Insahyu Training + Therapy
Unit 14 - 395 Berry Street, Winnipeg, MB R3J 1N6
Tel: 204-885-9292 - Email

Athletic Therapy Winnipeg~ Rehabilitation~ Sports Injury~ Workplace Injury~ Motor Vehicle Accident

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Exercises to improve your spine and shoulder stiffness

Strain or Sprain.. What's the difference?

What is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

Author

Categories

Archives

Insahyu Training + Therapy Unit 14 - 395 Berry Street, Winnipeg, MB R3J 1N6 Tel: 204-885-9292 - Email

Athletic Therapy Winnipeg~ Rehabilitation~ Sports Injury~ Workplace Injury~ Motor Vehicle Accident

Insahyu Training + Therapy
Unit 14 - 395 Berry Street, Winnipeg, MB R3J 1N6
Tel: 204-885-9292 - Email