There are many possible causes for your shoulder pain.
Do you carry a heavy purse or bag?
I have done many, many therapeutic massages on people who carry a heavy bag around. Sometimes it is work or school related, sometimes it’s just a huge, heavy “purse.” (More like a suitcase, actually.)
I have had happy women leave my clinic, smiling that their “shoulder pain is all gone now.”
And, then I have to say, “Hey! Why are you hiking that shoulder up?” Well, the reason is because they’ve tossed the strap of their purse over their shoulder and hiked that shoulder up to keep the strap in place. Not good.
Do you have weak or poor posture?
If you have a forward head posture (your head is out in front of your body rather than over your shoulders) that puts a lot of strain on your poor back and shoulders. Forward head posture causes shoulder pain (and neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel pain, too.)
Are your chest muscles short?
Short or tight chest muscles pull your shoulders forward, rather than letting them be out to the sides of your body where they belong. Chest muscles can get short from posture habits that we have developed. They can also shorten when we use our chest (or pectoral) muscles way more than our back muscles. This causes pain in your shoulders, too. It doesn’t allow you to use your shoulders in the neutral fashion they were designed to work in.
What can you do to correct shoulder pain from these causes?
In the case of a hiked shoulder:
Carry a lighter bag (you really do not need everything in the immediate world for every possible potential event in your purse, honest. There are stores all over the place!) Or, if you need a large bag for work, consider a rolling suitcase or bag on wheels. (When I suggested that to a male client, he sighed, simply, “I can’t. I’m a guy.” But he could.) Or, instead of a shoulder bag, use a “fanny pack” or a “tummy pack.” Maybe not so easy to find, maybe not too stylish, but I love ’em. Hands-free carrying so I can swing my arms and shoulders or use my hands to do things other than carry a purse. Or, carry your purse in the crook of your elbow, like a football.
In the case of forward head posture:
Begin a simple program to strengthen your whole backside. Think small. You don’t have to strengthen your whole body all at once. You can find lots of help at Simple Strengthening .
In the case of short chest muscles:
Begin a simple stretching program to open and lengthen those muscles. Gravity and your bed are good tools to work with. Let your arms carefully hang off the side of the bed while you lie on your back. You will feel the muscles in front of your shoulders and arms stretching, as well as your chest muscles. Also, strengthening your back will help lengthen your chest muscles, too.
All of these things will help you get rid of your shoulder pain, and that’s a good thing.
You may also find more information at Simple Back Pain Relief. (<– click here.)
