exercise for Shoulder pain

Scapular retraction/protraction- Shoulder blade mobility. Too much sitting in front of computer causes head forward and down position, rounded back, decreased mobility in shoulder blades, neck and shoulder pain. If Scapula or shoulder blades don't move properly, muscles around them become weak and imbalanced. As a result, shoulders don't move properly either. Especially, lifting overhead (during exercise and daily activities) and rowing, pulling type of movements can become injurious. Eventually, it causes chronic shoulder and neck pain. This is one of the best exercises which can help to improve mobility of scapula. Come on down all fours. Keep low back and neck neutral, engage your abdominal muscles. Slowly bring your shoulder blades together toward spine, and down toward hips (avoid elevating your shoulders, arching and moving the low back, moving hips). Slowly, separate your blades away from each other and spine (like they are sliding toward the armpits). Only your shoulder blades do the movement. Be patient! You might get no movement at the beginning or compensate with low back or hips. Learning a new movement takes lots of practice. If you're unsure that you are doing right, always ask professional help.

for Better Posture...

Thoracic back mobility

1- Place the foam roller under the base of your shoulder blades. Bring your elbows closer to each other. Place hands under the head. Slowly move your head back as you feel a stretch in the rib cage and abdomen. Relax your hips and try not to overarch your lower back. Take deep and steady diaphragmatic breathing, and notice your breath travels 360 degrees in your body. As you exhale slowly and controlled, notice a saddle release in the front of your rib cage, abdomen and neck. Always start as short as 10 seconds, and keep practicing every day a bit longer.

Chest Opening

2- Place the foam roller under the base of shoulder blades. Put hands behind the base of skull, bend knees and feet flat on the floor. Slowly extend the back and neck. Make sure to support your neck with hands- simply rest the neck on your hands. If you feel to much compression on the back, place the roller higher on the back, more toward the upper back. This time, keep your elbows open as wide as you can. Follow the breathing as above. Always wait for the natural release, don't force the stretch!

Piriformis stretch

What is piriformis?

Piriformis is one of the "deep six hip rotator" muscles that are located deep to the gluteus maximus.

What does it do?

Piriformis externally rotate the hip joint, and abduct the hip joint when hip is flexed. It stabilizes the pelvis while standing, controls medial rotation of the hip joint during the early phase of walking and running.

FUN FACTS:

Piriformis is a descendant of the great caudofemoral elevator muscles that can still seen today extending from a reptile's femur to its tail. These muscles provide reptile with the greater thrusting force to extend its leg while running.

How to stretch it?

Lie on the floor or bed, pull your knee toward the opposite shoulder, with your opposite arm, pull your foot toward the opposite shoulder. You feel a stretch right underneath your bottom toward the tailbone.