Shoulder Injuries

A couple questions... How do you use foam rollers? What do you mean by "upper posturals"? Thx, Skip Hi Skip, When I saw upper posturals, I mean the major muscles that create balance in the shoulder girdle and neck. The ones I focus on, other than the external rotators (back rotator cuff muscles) are the levator scapulae (back of the neck), upper trapezius (upper back) and rear deltoids. We have a tendency to be overly strong/tight in the front of the body and weak and flexible in the back of the body. Creating a balance between the front and back muscles creates good posture and healthy shoulder movements. I use the foam rollers to lengthen tight tissues and also to stretch. For posture, I often lay on the foam roller and extend my arms out to the side to stretch my chest, which becomes overly tight when I spend hours writing on the computer. I reach overhead to stretch the lats or gently roll them placing the roller under my arm pit and gently rolling, being careful not to roll over the back of my rib cage. I hope this helps. I'm working on an article for American Fitness about the anatomy of the shoulder, common dysfunctions, and how to promote better shoulder function, which will print in the Nov-Dec issue. I'm going to try to get a pdf format I can share.

A couple questions... How do you use foam rollers? What do you mean by "upper posturals"? Thx, Skip Hi Skip, When I saw upper posturals, I mean the major muscles that create balance in the shoulder girdle and neck. The ones I focus on, other than the external rotators (back rotator cuff muscles) are the levator scapulae (back of the neck), upper trapezius (upper back) and rear deltoids. We have a tendency to be overly strong/tight in the front of the body and weak and flexible in the back of the body. Creating a balance between the front and back muscles creates good posture and healthy shoulder movements. I use the foam rollers to lengthen tight tissues and also to stretch. For posture, I often lay on the foam roller and extend my arms out to the side to stretch my chest, which becomes overly tight when I spend hours writing on the computer. I reach overhead to stretch the lats or gently roll them placing the roller under my arm pit and gently rolling, being careful not to roll over the back of my rib cage. I hope this helps. I'm working on an article for American Fitness about the anatomy of the shoulder, common dysfunctions, and how to promote better shoulder function, which will print in the Nov-Dec issue. I'm going to try to get a pdf format I can share.