Shoulder pain can be a significant obstacle in maintaining an effective training routine. Understanding how to prevent and manage shoulder pain is crucial for long-term health and performance. Here are some strategies to help you decrease shoulder pain and keep your training on track.
1. Warm-Up Adequately
Importance of Warm-Up: A proper warm-up is essential to prepare your muscles and joints for the demands of training. It helps increase blood flow, improve flexibility, and reduce the risk of injury.
Warm-Up Routine:
Dynamic Stretching: Incorporate dynamic stretches that target the shoulders, such as arm circles, shoulder rolls, and cross-body arm swings.
Light Cardiovascular Activity: Begin with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, like jogging or jumping jacks, to increase your heart rate and warm up your entire body.
Specific Shoulder Exercises: Perform specific warm-up exercises for the shoulders, such as resistance band pull-aparts, shoulder rotations with a band, and light dumbbell shoulder presses.
2. Find the Cause of Your Shoulder Pain
Consult a Health Professional: If you experience persistent shoulder pain, it is crucial to consult a health professional, such as a physiotherapist or chiropractor. They can help diagnose the underlying cause of your pain and develop a tailored treatment plan.
Benefits of Professional Assessment:
Accurate Diagnosis: Identifying the specific cause of your shoulder pain, whether it's a rotator cuff injury, impingement, or tendonitis.
Personalized Treatment Plan: Receiving a customized rehabilitation program that addresses your specific needs and goals.
Preventing Further Injury: Learning proper techniques and exercises to prevent future injuries and ensure long-term shoulder health.
3. Train Through a Full Range of Motion
Avoid Ego Lifting: Lifting weights that are too heavy can compromise your form and increase the risk of shoulder injuries. Focus on using weights that allow you to maintain proper form and control throughout the entire movement.
Benefits of Full Range of Motion:
Improved Flexibility and Strength: Training through a full range of motion helps improve joint flexibility and muscle strength, reducing the likelihood of injury.
Balanced Muscle Development: Ensuring that all muscles around the shoulder joint are strengthened and flexible, promoting better overall shoulder health.
Enhanced Joint Stability: Full range of motion exercises can help improve the stability of the shoulder joint, which is crucial for preventing injuries.
Decreasing shoulder pain when training involves a combination of proper warm-up routines, professional assessment, and training through a full range of motion. By adequately warming up, consulting with a health professional to identify the cause of your pain, and focusing on proper form and weight selection, you can reduce your risk of shoulder injuries and enjoy a pain-free training experience. Remember, maintaining shoulder health is essential for long-term fitness success, so prioritize these strategies to keep your shoulders strong and pain-free.
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Understand whether the problem is due to behaviour or trauma and relate the problem to a particular pattern in movement or in life.Find the cause:
Is the problem due to an injury that needs a diagnosis or is it something movement related that needs to be assessed and identified?Make a plan:
Agree on what the problem is, what the goals are, the way we’re going to achieve the goals and over an agreed timeframe.Follow up:
Check in with you along the way and have an open line of communication to ensure you’re on te right track.