4 Instant Ways To Help Increase Shoulder Movement
It’s the most mobile, yes least stable joint in the body.
This makes for a joint that can sometimes be a bit confusing to treat, especially with the various diagnosis names and syndromes that are thrown around.
With names like frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, impingement syndrome, and various other scary-sounding titles, we quite often just need to help get the shoulder moving again.
Here are four of my favourite graded exposure/altered movements I use to help patients get their shoulder moving again.
This first one is a great way to help when a patient is having difficulty with shoulder flexion.
This one is a great way to help with shoulder extension.
Here’s one to use on your table to assist with abduction.
And finally, if you have a broomstick, a piece of dowel, or something similar in your clinic, here’s another way to help with shoulder abduction.
Takeaways
- The biggest thing we want to do is instill confidence in our patients by showing how these movements are safe.
- Showing patients that a little discomfort is okay, and it’s not the same as pain.
- Make the movements meaningful to patients so they will do them at home.
- Do the movements before and after your treatment demonstrating to the patient how much improvement THEY have made.
- Make it fun.
- Podcast Episode #29: Dealing With Burnout - April 11, 2023
- Podcast Episode #28 With Great Educational Power, Comes Great Educational Responsibility - November 8, 2022
- Podcast Episode #27 Myofascial Release And CLB, What Does The Evidence Say? - August 30, 2022
Doing proper stretching is such a critical part of massage and yet highly overlooked. The two together are absolutely essential. Thanks for sharing these points about arm sretches. They are a very useful resource for my practice here in Rapid City, SD.
Thanks Guy, glad you find the movements useful, I know your patients will appreciate it.
This is great! Thank you
No problem Yvonne, glad you enjoyed it.