USE IT OR LOSE IT!
You can certainly ease problems associated with shoulder injury through medical attention and physical therapy. However, protecting your shoulders in the first place is always the best strategy. Make sure your posture is the best it can be at all times, whether it’s while you’re relaxing in your favorite chair, standing in line, hitting the gym, or working long hours at your desk. Think“upandback,”because lettingtheweightof your head and trunk rest forward puts pressure in all the wrong places, including your shoulders. Positioning yourself before sleep is also crucial; resting on your favorite side when the weight is on your shoulder can definitely create shoulder impingement over time. Avoid any positions where your arm is over your head while sleeping. You’ll additionally reduce wear and tear on your shoulders by being more mindful of how you use them. Does your job or sport absolutely require repetitive lifting, reaching or swinging? If so, it’s
helpful to get coaching from a physical therapist -- or even an actual coach -- about how to reduce the strain on your shoulders by shifting your positioning and using correct technique. Along with placing your body more efficiently to perform tasks, it’s also helpful to strengthen your shoulder muscles for light but frequent daily chores as well as strenuous, repetitive motions. Try to do a combination of some basic exercises a few times a week, in order to strengthen a range of muscles, including those in your rotator cuff region. Doing wall push-ups -- essentially a standing push-up in which you “lift off” from the wall rather than the floor -- is one classic option. Secondly, consider buying resistance bands,
whichare inexpensiveandportable.Attach them to a doorknob and pull them toward you, holding for a few seconds with each repetition. Do these reps in groups of five, two or three times a day. Lastly, don’t forget the classic “chair push-ups,” in which your arms do the work of lifting off the chair, are great for toning shoulder muscles. If you have questions about an aching shoulder or wondering if you are setting yourself up for injury, give us a call at (402) 721-1112 to speak with one of our physical therapists. Your shoulders will be happy you did! SOURCES: • orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00327 • moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail. aspx?cid=95bd746b-b25f-46f5-8373-fb56c9f6b46a
5 Healthy Tips for the Holiday Season
1. Shop Well For Yourself . It is more important then ever to stock your kitchen with healthy foods. Have healthy snacks handy. The more convenient they are, the more likely you are to eat them. Instead of thinking about what you shouldn’t eat, promise to eat your 3 to 5 servings of vegetables each day. 2. Schedule Your Exercise . Your schedule will be very hectic this holiday season. Schedule your workouts just as you would any other appointment. It’s ok if you can’t make it to class, but make sure that you get some activity in at least three days per week. 3. Just Say No . You probably aren’t aware how much extra food you consume just from people offering it to you. A sample at the market here, an extra cookie at an office party there and it all adds up. Just think twice before you take that food and decide if you really want it. 4. Skip the Baking . Do you make baked goods for giving? Chances are you eat much of what you bake. Who wouldn’t? Instead make non-food gifts, or prepare ingredients for baked goods and put them in pretty jars--let your gift recipient bake it up. That way, they can eat it when they want it and you don’t have to be tempted in the kitchen. 5. Hydrate . Keep your water bottle with you at all times. You should be drinking eight, 8-oz glasses of water each day. One handy trick is to buy a 64 ounce water jug. Fill it up in the morning and know that you need to finish it by the end of the day.
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