How to Relieve Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is associated with repetitive movememnts while playing sports. However, those working on a keyboard are also using repretive movements of the shoulder. If you work in a cubicle, that means you use your shoulder and do not move the rest of your body very much. This is a repetitive motion that will slowly grind your shoulder into the same pain as the sports fanatics.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Ice bags
• a heating pad or a damp washcloth in the microwave for 30 seconds
• a chair
• 2 books that are equal weight. (Encyclopedia works well)
• soup cans

Making Shoulder Pain a Thing of the Past

1. Apply alternating ice and heat tot he painful area. When the pain starts to slightly lessen begin the excersise. Some people only have pain when they use or move their shoulder; however, some people are in constant or severe pain. After using the ice and heat the pain should lessen, only then start the excersises.
2. Start with stretching: This first Stetch will target the top of your shoulder, directly where the arm inserts into the shoulder blade. Make a 90 degree angle with your arm where your fingers are pointing up. Grasp your elbow and push it up towards the top of your head. Try to get it as far up as possible. Repeat on the other side.Shoulder pain is caused by the tearing of ligaments or carlitdge in your shoulder. You need to stretch and strengthen the area in order to promote healing and releive the pain
3. Cross your arm across your chest. Grasp your elbow and pull towards the opposite side. Repeat on the other side. This stretch will stretch the shoulder blade. Remeber, the shoulder blade is the part of the shoulder joint that holds the arm in its socket.
4. Sit with your best posture on a chair. Shrug your shoulders toward your ears. Roll them towards your back, and then down toward your ribs. Make this complete circle at three times. This stretch will help the tendons and muscles that connect your joint together. This will also strengthen your shoulder muscles, and they will help keep your shoulder joints together and working.
5. Start every activity, including work, with these stretches. Now you must increase the strength of the muscles that are holding your shoulder. Take two books and place them in each palm flat. Your hand should be flat on each book. Place your hands at your shoulder level. Raise each book into the air till your arm is completely straight. Hold this position for a count of three. Then slowly lower it. Now do the same thing with the other hand. As you strengthen your shoulder, you can began to use weights in the excercise.
6. Grasp a soup can with each hand. Grasp the cans as if you were going to throw them like a football. Let your arm lay normally at your side. Raise your arm straight out till your arm and body make a 90 degree angle. Hold for a count of 3. Slowly lower your arm. Repeat with the other arm. This exercise will strengthen the muscle and tendons that hold the top of your shoulder together. These tendons are exposed and easily injured and hurt by simple movements as well as repetitive motions. This strengthening and stretching will cure much of the shoulder pain, and will enable you to live without shoulder pain.

Tips & Warnings

• Only stretch as much as you can. You are building up your stretching ability.
• Tearing happens because you puish your body past what ti can handle. These are helping you increase that point.
• Always do stretches and stregthening on both sides of the body.
• The stretching might cause pain. If this happens, use heat on the surface.
• if you have not done any type of strengthen or if you're in extreme pain. Use lighter items.