Shoulder dislocations typically occur from sudden jarring motions while the shoulder is in a compromised position. An auto accident, fall off a bicycle, or collision while playing sports are common examples of situations that can cause dislocations. For those of us who are naturally hyper-flexible, it may take much less force to cause a dislocation. […]
Internal Rotation of the Shoulder: The Under-Prescribed Exercise!
In clinical physical therapy practice, I have noticed that rotator cuff exercises tend to have more of a bias towards external rotation rather than internal rotation. Why is this? Here is an example of external rotation (see video below). This can be done either on one’s side as in the first video or standing with […]
How Obesity Affects Your Joints
Most of us have heard the warning about obesity as it pertains to general health. Diabetes, coronary heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, and osteoarthritis are all common health concerns that are all associated with overweight patients. Here is one additional reason to lose weight that you may not have considered: Obesity, particularly as it pertains to […]
Why Do I Have a Forward Head?
Behold, the dreaded forward head. (See pic) A forward head is commonly defined by what we therapist nerds call a “plumb line” that is dropped from the hole in the ear (aka the external auditory meatus) directly downwards. Under ideal circumstances, the plumb line that drops from the ear should pass through the anterior portion […]
Review of Specialized Sleeping Pillow
A few months back I was getting to the point of extreme frustration in regard to sleeping on my sides. I have a partial labrum tear in my left shoulder from years of sports, weight training, and lord knows what other repetitive activities. I would also not be surprised if I have a small tear […]
Rotator Cuff or Rotator Cup?
I often hear people refer to the muscles that encircle the shoulder at the “rotator cup.” This of course is a misnomer. The muscles that surround the shoulder are correctly referred to as the “rotator cuff.” The definition of a “cuff” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is as follows: “Something (such as a part of […]
Allowing Tendonitis To Heal
I hate tendonitis and the misery that it brings. The loss of function, the psychological frustration that comes with having pain with motion, and visits to health professionals are annoyances that many of us who have tendonitis must endure. Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon that usually stems from repetitive stress or overuse. We commonly […]
Postural Shirts?
A client came in this week with something I have not seen before: a “postural” workout shirt. The shirt shown in the photo is a tightly sewn spandex nylon mix marketed as a way of facilitating upright posture and body mechanics. The client did report that she felt more upright. Is this a fad, or […]