How To Prevent Shoulder Injuries
The shoulders are highly mobile and useful, but that makes it a frustrating joint, too, because it is easy to injure and difficult to rehabilitate. Athletes and older adults should be careful and prevent shoulder injuries because once you have one, you will likely experience a re-injury in the future. Luckily, there are different ways to protect and strengthen the articulation, maintaining your range of motion and preventing an injury.
The best methods to achieve that purpose include:
- Stretches: You have probably heard that warm-up is essential before exercise. That is also true in the case of overhead work activity if you want to prevent shoulder injuries. More than just warming up the articulation, you should also stretch before exercising or engaging in overhead work. It is also recommended during rehab because it does an excellent job in your shoulder articulation. It restores the range of motion and prevents future injuries. There are different stretches you can try, and depending on the type of activity you perform, one can be better than the other. For example, you have the classic pendulum stretch, the crossover arm stretch, and you can even stretch in your bed with something called sleeper stretch.
- Shoulder exercises: There are very specific exercises besides stretching to improve shoulder flexibility and strength. The articulation will be protected from damage when you have sufficient shoulder strength. When flexibility is on top, you’re less likely to experience a tear or strain in the rotator cuff. Shoulder exercises are very specific workouts focused on improving shoulder muscle and ligament function. They usually involve weight or some type of resistance, and it is fundamental that you measure the amount of weight and don’t overdo it. Exercise technique is fundamental. Otherwise, you could get a lesion instead of preventing one. Thus, ask a gym instructor if you don’t know how to do it. Some exercises that strengthen the articulation include a standing row using resistance bands and rotation of the shoulders.
- Rehabilitation to prevent future injuries: If you already have a shoulder injury or recently recovered from one, it is essential to listen to your doctor’s advice if you want to prevent future injuries. Even after healing a shoulder injury completely, your chance of a new injury is higher than before the accident. Thus, it is important to follow the recommendations of resting, applying ice, and engaging in physical therapy for as long as it is deemed necessary. Even if you feel that you don’t need more physical therapy, the recommendations are made based on evidence and whatever works for people like you. If you’re unsure whether to continue with physical therapy, discuss it with your doctor and follow recommendations instead of deciding on your own.