Why is it important to use clinical exercise prescription (clinical Pilates and functional strength and conditioning approaches) for the rehabilitation and prevention of shoulder injuries?
Exercise prescription is paramount to ensure successful rehabilitation and prevention of all shoulder injuries. Attending clinical rehabilitation exercise classes (incorporating clinical Pilates and functional strength and conditioning), is a really helpful way to improve stabilization of the shoulder blades on the ribcage, and strengthen the muscles that provide stability for your shoulder.
Why do you need to focus on shoulder blade control?
In order to prevent shoulder injuries, shoulder blade placement on the ribcage and control of the shoulder blade stabilizing muscles are important to focus on, as inadequate shoulder blade stabilization can lead to numerous overuse shoulder injuries and significant shoulder and neck pain.
During your clinical exercise class you will be regularly cued to maintain your neutral spine, and keep your collarbones wide, in order to prevent rounding your shoulders forwards, and therefore losing adequate shoulder blade placement. This is important to think about during the day to avoid falling into the commonly seen slumped posture that we are seeing more of these days due to our increase in screen use.
What else needs to be focused on for improving shoulder function?
Not only is good postural alignment important for our shoulder injury prevention, but also maintaining adequate mid back (thoracic) mobility. As good spinal mobility through your mid back is needed to prevent overuse of your rotator cuff muscles surrounding your shoulder when performing functional activities such as, golf swings, throwing, or even freestyle swimming.
How will clinical rehabilitation exercise (Pilates) classes be helpful for my shoulder?
Our clinical rehabilitation classes really focus on addressing and training shoulder blade placement, improving and teaching awareness of how to activate and strengthen both the shoulder blade stabilizing muscles, and also help strengthen the muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint, and also on improving mid back (thoracic) mobility, deep abdominal strength and postural alignment (all needed for strong shoulders).
What equipment will be used in the clinical class to help with my shoulder injury?
A variety of equipment is used to ensure we our meeting our patients shoulder rehabilitation or prevention goals, and therefore that we are prescribing the correct strengthening and mobility exercises. These exercises to help our patients shoulders may be given on the mat, reformer, chair, cadillac, or using bands, softballs, foam rollers, dumbbells and kettlebells.
For example, a great exercise that is one of our favourite for addressing both shoulder blade control and thoracic mobility in our clinical mat exercise rehabilitation class which is the:
If you would like to find out more about our clinical mat or equipment exercise rehabilitation small group classes check our website or call Sydney Physio Solutions on 92525770.
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