NoVEMBEr 2020
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A Therapists three tips for achy shoulders By Sean t. Lordan If I had a quarter for every time I was approached for a consult because of painful overhead reaching, I would be retired already! Shoulder impingements, labral and rotator cuff tears are very common. Shoulder pain can happen to anyone, at anytime, but specifically occurs more often in the later stages of life (>50+). In fact, a study reported that 51-54% of people between 60-80 years old have a rotator cuff tear. The incidence of shoulder pain later in life is higher because your small rotator cuff muscles get less blood flow as you age. Less blood flow to the rotator cuff tissue in combination with fatty infiltrate of the muscle tissue and age related sarcopenia (muscle wasting) is a recipe for disaster. Most people won’t take action until they either realize they can’t pick anything up off the top shelf anymore, or the shoulder starts to hurt constantly. So what can you do today to mitigate your risk from dealing with achy shoulders for the rest of your life? Tip #1: FiND oUT A PRoPER DiAGNosis Shoulder pain could be coming from a variety of sources: radiculopathy from the neck and spine, adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), ligament/ tendon tears, impingement, labral tears or potentially something more sinister like a tumor or frac-
ture. It is best to consult with a PT or your PCP if you are experiencing constant pain that is unrelenting and unmitigated by non-steroidal anti inflamatories (NSAIDS) or Tylenol. The course of treatment will typically begin with a few sessions of PT, and potentially a cortisone shot if it is nothing serious. More serious conditions may require surgery but a consult with a PT is always a good place to start. Tip #2: ExERCisE ThE ‘ExTERNAL RoTAToRs’ oF ThE shoULDER In order to improve your shoulder symptoms, understand that like any other muscle the shoulder needs consistent resistance training to stay healthy. resistance training for the shoulders is of particular importance because often the directions that we move our shoulders in our everyday routines are limited by poor posture and bad habits. The external rotators of your shoulder act to counter the poor postural forces placed on us during life’s everyday stress. You must first correct your posture if you have any chance of eliminating or preventing shoulder pain. You should be seen by a movement specialist (PT) if your pain has been going on for longer than 2-3 weeks. However if you are comfortable moving forward and trying a few exercises then so be it, they will help you if your shoulder pathology is not too advanced. If you have pain that is
intermittent and low on the pain scale (1-5 / 10), I suggest you try some of the following exercises: Standing Bilateral Shoulder External rotation with a Band, Side lying Shoulder External rotation, and Prone Y’s. Tip #3: BEwARE oF YoUR PosTURE If you’ve been spending hours slumped over your computer working from home or on long car rides recently your posture is surely affected. Your head can weigh an extra 12-18lbs for every inch it lies forward compared to the line of gravity. That’s a lot of extra work for the muscles in the back of your neck to keep up! My advice is to stay on top of your posture and potentially look into a tech option like the Upright Go 2 to give you daily feedback via your smartphone. The convenient device is placed on the back of your neck and buzzes every time you slouch. In conclusion, try these few tips to get off to the right start for winter and football season. As always if you have questions or concerns please reach out to me at drlordan@conciergephysicaltherapy.com Sean T. Lordan PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS President, Concierge Physical Therapy 64 Worcester Providence Tpke Sutton, MA 01590
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Thanksgiving Virtual Race & Health Walk registration is now open for the 32nd Whitin Five Mile race & Two Mile Health Walk which will be VIrTUAL this year. New this year is a 5K option. You will have 10 days to complete your event from November 20th-30th on any course, anywhere. There is no entry fee this year due to COVID-19, but if you can they would love it if you could make a donation! Donations will directly benefit the Whitin Community Center and the Massachusetts Audubon Society in Worcester. If enough people are interested, Think Local Tee Shirt Printing is willing to set up an online store for you to purchase shirts by November 5th. They would be the usual long sleeve cotton shirts. Please let them know in your registration if you are interested in a shirt. Check the Whitin Five Facebook Page for updates & share your pictures with them on all social media using #whitinfive. Sign up is online https://racewire. com/register.php.
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