From “weakness” to “respect” for the Shoulder Joint

Shoulder injuries like rotator cuff injuries, and conditions like frozen shoulder are hugely painful for the sufferer and frustrating for the teacher or trainer. It’s hard to watch a client stall in their progress due to a shoulder injury. Yoga is a helpful practice in preventing and recovering from common shoulder injuries.  Although every person and every injury are different, practice with consciousness, patience and consistency, yoga is a game-changer. Here are two simple ways yoga helps when it comes to the pre-hab and re-hab of the shoulder joint:

 

Stretch + Strength = Stability: Often people injure their joints because the muscles surrounding them are either too weak (and they can’t support the joint) or unbalanced (and they torque the joint out of alignment).  Yoga promotes balance in flexibility and strength exercises, particularly for the upper body.  It also promotes balanced muscle development, not favoring the bi- over the triceps for example. To prevent injury poses like downward dog, eagle, crescent moon and arm balances (only if the student is already strong enough and ready for the pose) will help to strengthen and lengthen the muscles around the shoulder.  To rehab the shoulder, forward folds, table top, and shoulder rotations will help to loosen things up and start to rebuild shoulder strength. Of course, every shoulder is different, and students should listen to and respect their bodies.  Note: Yoga is amazing for rehab, but yoga is not athletic therapy. If your client is badly injured, they need to see Jen or Katy before coming to a yoga class and they should always advise the teacher of any injuries they have before starting their practice.

Knowing Your Limits:  Ego. Everyone has it, and every personal trainer or yoga teacher has seen it in action: a student who knows they don’t yet have the strength to do so jumps into a pose or exercise before they are ready and they injure themselves in the process.  Letting go of the ego is one of the most important things yoga can do for your clients.  Yoga teaches people to recognize and respect their limits. It helps to reframe perceptions of “weakness” and reprogram them as “respect”.  We need to listen to our bodies when we exercise, and yoga teaches us to listen when they whisper rather than waiting until they scream.  This will result in fewer injuries from overexertion. It will also help to create a smooth path to recovery as students discover and respect their new limitations rather than expecting pre-injury performance. 

Working with a Qualified Instructor: The same principle applies to those working with a personal trainer or coach, as with yoga.  Having an instructor that can follow your movements (small groups are best), and make necessary corrections will greatly help guide your recovery.  Your instructor should be willing to work with your limitations and bring about a fun, safe, and goal oriented yoga session.  Building poses and progressions is more important than actually getting to the advanced pose.  

Thanks to my guest blogger, Jenny Foster, who teaches yoga at Dynamic Living.

Shoulder Stability Workshop Feb 21 at 2pm.  Register today.

Jen Mark BSc., CAT(C), CSCS
www.dynamicliving.me 

Concussions in the Classroom

Exceptions need to be made for invisible injuries.

High schools across the country are filled with student athletes. Some play within the school system and some are involved in sports above the high school level. Students that participate in contact sports have a special risk; concussions. The percentage of student athletes who get concussions will likely never be known since most do not report any symptoms. But what about those who do report how they feel? Are we protecting them enough in the classroom? Is it worth it for these athletes to explain to their teachers what has happened?

I’ve noticed that most coaches and players don’t fully understand concussions, even though they are around the sport and probably see them all the time. What about teachers in the schools? Especially those that have nothing to do with sport or fitness? It seems many of them are not sensitive to the injuries that are invisible.

Often with concussions it is difficult for the student to concentrate without getting a headache. There is often a sensitivity to lights and noise, which happens in high schools and elementary schools. The prescribed treatment for concussions is to stay home and do nothing; no TV, no video games, and no school work – they need to let the brain rest. I have had many athletes who have had to take a week off or more from school. That week is generally filled with sleeping and being in the dark. This is what is best for a concussion to heal properly. Upon returning to school the student needs to catch up with school work and get comfortable being in the classroom again. Teachers need to allow this transition time – allow for more time on assignments and perhaps guidance.

When a student returns to school around exam time, they need those extensions in order to regain confidence and do well academically. Teachers need to allow the student to finish their term papers in an appropriate amount of time and allowed to study for each exam accordingly. We are not talking about adults, who are often less affected by concussions. Student athletes are a special bred. They are in the middle of their learning and their brain is forming into a mature adult brain.

We need to help our student athletes achieve greatness on the field and in the classroom. Teachers need to be sensitive to head traumas and help students through these often difficult times. Exceptions are made in the “real” working world and we need to have them in the classroom.

Jen Mark BSc., CAT(C), CSCS
jen@bodysmithinternational.com