Having Happy Shoulders

All your joints are special, but your shoulder joint is amazing. Not only does it have the greatest ranges of motions, but the integration it has with your elbow, wrists, hands, rib cage, head, neck and rest of your spine is astounding. Add the timing it has with your legs when you're walking or running and you can see why so much of your life hinges around a well-functioning shoulder.

Your shoulder joint is unique because of the shoulder blade. The shoulder blade is controlled by 24 muscles, articulates with two bones and coordinates motions with 35 more bones (your head, 7 neck bones, 12 mid back vertebra, 8 ribs, 5 low back vertebra, sacrum, and your sternum).

A lot goes on to provide dexterity, coordination, large and small motions, and strength and power. With all that the shoulder blade offers, it is one of the least understood and most important contributor to the shoulder motion. Do not overlook it or underestimate its potential to help you excel in your sports, daily activities, and to rehab.

If you are having shoulder problems, you simply need to understand which muscles are weak and strengthen them. Shoulder instability, pain, and weakness result from not adequately involving the 24 governing muscles into your routine. By the time you have notable problems, your elbow, wrists, hands, rib cage, and spine are also out of place due to weakness patterns.

Correcting the patterns comes quickly by regaining strength in the highest priority ranges and freedom of motion in the surrounding joints and at the shoulder. You may have incurred damage to tendons, muscles, and other tissues, but these can heal when the complex shoulder girdle is brought back to order. Once we apply the knowledge of how the shoulder is integrated with the surrounding joints and the shoulder blade, your shoulder and you'll be back in the swing of things within days or weeks. Having happy shoulders is within your reach!