TO YOUR HEALTH
Your Shoulder, Your Neck, and a Mirror Trick
mechanics of the vertebrae, thereby removing a source of stress to the spinal nerves. :KHQFHUYLFDODQGRUWKRUDFLF adjustments are called for, the nerve “circuitry” is better able to control and coordinate the rotator muscles. This often re- lieves the strained or overused shoulder. Preventing and re- lieving stress on these nerves in your neck and upper back is an essential component of maintaining good shoulder health. In terms of helping yourself, your head-neck pos- ture comes into play.
BY CHARLES S. MASARSKY, D.C.
Whether you are pitching a fastball, taking a tee shot at the golf course, delivering an overhead serve in tennis, lifting a laughing child in the air, or just putting something away on a high shelf, your shoul- der is involved. While shoulder function involves a complex interac- WLRQDPRQJ\RXUXSSHUDUPERQH KXPHUXV VKRXOGHUEODGH VFDS - XOD DQGFROODUERQH FODYLFOH WKHVWDURIWKHVKRZLVGH¿QLWHO\WKH ball and socket joint. It is formed by the rounded head of the humerus meeting a socket, or cavity, on the outside of the scapula. This is called the JOHQRKXPHUDOMRLQW , and it is responsible for giving your shoulder a greater range of motion than any other part of your body. It turns out the socket of the glenohumeral joint is shallow. What holds the joint together is a structure formed by the muscles that ro- WDWHWKHVKRXOGHU7KHWHQGRQVRIWKHVHPXVFOHVIRUPDFX̆ WKDWGHHS - HQVWKHVRFNHW7KLVLVWKHURWDWRUFX̆ ,QMXULHVRURYHUXVHRIWKHVKRXO - GHUFDQVWUDLQRUVSUDLQWKHURWDWRUFX̆ Control and Coordination ,QFKLURSUDFWLFFDUHZHHQFRXQWHUURWDWRUFX̆ SUREOHPVIUHTXHQW - ly. In addition to examining shoulder joints and muscles, we carefully check the portions of the spine that supply nerve control to the rotator PXVFOHV7KHVHQHUYHVSULPDULO\H[LWWKHVSLQHDWWKH¿IWKDQGVL[WK cervical vertebra in the middle of your neck. In some cases, joint prob- OHPV DERYH RU EHORZ WKHVH YHUWHEUDH FDQ LQGLUHFWO\ D̆ HFW WKH VDPH nerves. Therefore, we also check the upper cervical and upper thoracic areas. Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct the alignment and
The ball-and-socket shoulder joint (also known as the glenohumeral joint) is formed by the head of the humerus (on the left) and a socket or cavity in the shoulder blade (on the right). The socket (also known as the glenoid fossa or glenoid cavity) is shallow, making the shoulder joint very unstable.
The Mirror Trick When doing a great deal of paperwork or computer tasks, it is very HDV\WR¿QG\RXUKHDGPLJUDWLQJIRUZDUG7KLVKHDGIRUZDUGSRVWXUH distorts the mechanics of your neck and upper back. This is just what \RXUVKRXOGHUGRHVQ¶WQHHG7U\WRFKHFNLQRQ\RXUSRVWXUHDWOHDVW once an hour when doing this sort of work. Another situation that frequently causes a head-forward posture is driving. This is especially common when driving a long distance or QDYLJDWLQJ WKURXJK URXJK WUḊ F :LWKRXW UHDOL]LQJ LW PDQ\ SHRSOH
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Functional Medicine At Its Finest Helena Amos, M.Ac., L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist and Functional Medicine (FM) practitioner with 30+ years of clinical experience. She treats a full range of conditions and disorders combining modern FM with Traditional Chinese Medicine for expert, patient-centered individualized care.
Functional Medicine-Based Treatment For: • Headaches • Weight Loss
• Digestive Disorders • Menstrual Disorders
• Allergies/Allergy Elimination • Long COVID… and much more Holistic Treatment Approaches Include:
• Acupuncture • Homeopathy • BioSET Protocols • BioMeridian Assessments
• Herbal & Nutritional Supplements & Counseling • Medical Intuitive Sessions… and many more In Office and Distance Healing Sessions Available Schedule a FREE 20-minute Consultation Acupuncture & Natural Medicine Clinic Helena Amos, M.Ac., L.Ac., Euro. Physician 11140 Rockville Pike, #530, Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-2898 www.rockvilleacupuncturemd.com
703-395-0795
PATHWAYS—Summer 25—71
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