Last week in class we focussed on shoulder mobility, it’s amazing how what's going on with your shoulders is so tied into what we do every day and how it affects the core.
Having mobile shoulders that move easily and fluidly means that you get less aches and pains as your shoulders are moving within a healthy and natural range of motion in all directions. This encourages blood flow to the joint which keeps it healthy, lubricated and feeling great.
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint so we need to be able smoothly move it in all directions. To move up, down, forward and back, side to side, rotate inwards and outwards and in a circular motion. The less we use the arms within their range of motion the more we lose this range and things can become tight, stiff and potentially painful.
One important thing to note is that the shoulder joint is the most mobile in the body but also the most prone to injury as it is not as stable as the hip joint for example. So we need to move with intention and care, which is what we teach in Pilates!
Having a tight upper back can also affect how you breathe, and ultimately how you strengthen your core. If our shoulders are tight and stiff our shoulders can be drawn forwards which tightens the chest and overstretches the shoulder muscles. In turn this makes it more difficult to breathe effectively which then impacts the core - it’s all connected!
We’re working on this a lot in class at the moment and also in Day 4 of our FREE 10 day mini programme Restore Your Core.
There's loads of great wins to opening up the shoulders and upper back:
You'll feel freer and less tight in your shoulders so aches and pains are reduced
Your posture will improve so you feel taller, stronger and more confident
You’ll breathe easier so you feel calmer and more relaxed
Better able to strengthen your abdominals which means
Less back pain
Better pelvic floor health and
Able to carry small people or heavy bags with ease
If you'd like some expert help and guidance if your shoulders feel tight and stiff from sitting at a desk all day you can join one of our small group classes or private sessions here.
Alternatively we have a great Shoulder programme on our Online Studio which helps to release tension, improves your posture and strengthens your postural muscles to keep you pain free.
Get those shoulders moving and it's amazing how much better you'll feel.