This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/_hRFh6I3ilk.
Mike: Today we're going to explain how hanging can ease your shoulder pain.
Brad: That's right. And we're also going to show you the two major components of why that works and the other exercise works from two experts. All right, the first thing we're going to point out is the work from Dr. Kirsch, he's an actual orthopedic surgeon who's worked on shoulders. He talks about why hanging works because as the arm goes up the supraspinatus tendon gets pinched in there and this exercise will actually decrease and eliminate that problem.
Brad: Okay, the next area that these exercises correct is actually the scapula or the shoulder blade position. Now this is from the work of Rick Olderman who spent years with this and had great success. And what happens is a scapula can actually get depressed. In other words, droop downwards with a slight rotation. And when it's out of place like this, pain is developed in the shoulder as well as in the neck.
Mike: So in order to decompress the shoulder joint, like Dr. Kirsch had mentioned and Brad showed first, you simply can hang to start with. We will show another option if you're unable to get your hands up this high and actually hang. You can do this from a pull-up bar or hanging handles like we have here. And simply decompress the shoulder, stretch it out. Now if you're having some pain, just slowly lower your butt down the wall and go to what's comfortable. Make sure you can stand with your feet. Over time if it feels comfortable for you and you're able, the most amount of decompression you can have in your shoulders is to actually lift your legs up, and hold for a certain duration of time what you can handle. Dr. Kirsch had some people go up to two minutes, which may be pretty long. Maybe just start with 10 to 15 seconds.
Brad: That's right. Yes. And he has a number of options from a pull-up bar. We really like the handles because it puts your back up against the wall and helps promote a good posture. And it makes it very easy to control the amount of force through your shoulders. Now the other option is if you have a stick about four to five feet long, we use a Booyah Stik. You can use a piece of Dowling, or you can use some PVC pipe. I'm going to put it right in front of me in a seated position. I'm going to reach up and grab the stick as high as I can comfortably. I like to go to the top. It's easier to hold onto. Now if I lean forward, that starts to stretch and I can feel those shoulders, same area as with what Mike was doing because I use that as well and we just stretch. So it's a good option.
Brad: You can do one shoulder at a time. You simply put it off to the side and then reach up as high as you can. Do not let your hands slide down and lean over to the side. Get a similar stretch. Now one thing's important. If you're using a stick that does not have a rubber bottom that sticks to the floor, what you can easily do is take a shoe, put that on the floor, and put the stick in there because, then it will prevent the stick from sliding around because if it does slide out, then you could have a problem. We want to avoid that. So you can do that on either arm, it works very well.
Mike: Now, if you've been doing the hanging for a while and it's not helping much, maybe you have an issue with your scapula like Rick Olderman says. So a simple stretch you can try to do is commonly known as a prayer stretch. So what I'm going to do is sit in a quadruped position to start, so on my hands and knees. I like to bring my feet together just because that's more comfortable for me personally. I'm going to leave my hands pushing into the mat and I'm going to sit my buttock to my heels, keeping my hands pushing into the mat the entire time. I'm going to sit here for three breaths, inhale and exhale slowly, and then come back up. Try to do 10 repetitions of that. That is going to help teach the scapula to rotate and function properly as your arm is going above your head,
Brad: Right, this moves that scapula upwards where it belongs. We have another exercise to complement this, to help hold that scapula where it belongs for a permanent fix. But before we show you that next strengthening exercise, we have another option for this. If you're not comfortable getting down on your hands and knees like that, simply go up to a tabletop or countertop in a chair. If you have a chair with wheels, that works well. You do not have to do that. If you have a chair with wheels, put your hands on the table and simply push the chair away slowly. And we're getting that same stretch, moving that scapular upwards. Hold it for the same duration Mike had talked about and then come back up.
Brad: Now, if you do not have a chair that moves, you simply take a towel. And if you have a smooth surface, we put that down and you slide forward on the tabletop. It does the exact same motion, the same stretch on the scapula. Works very well. Now let's go to the strengthening exercise to hold that scapula up.
Mike: Now this exercise is kind of a strengthening and range of motion exercise. Again, it's going to focus on the scapula. This is from Rick Olderman. So you're going to stand next to an open wall space here. I'm going to keep in contact with the wall from my pinkies to my elbow and slide my arms as high as I comfortably can above my head. As you go up, your body's going to get closer to the wall. You're going to hold it for a few breaths and then come back down. Now what you want to do is focus on your shoulder blades pushing up. At shoulder height, it's not much engagement but once I get overhead, I just start feeling those shoulder blades and I really want to push it up. This will help teach them to engage again properly. And hope can help with that shoulder dysfunction you may be having.
Brad: So one thing I think about when I do these, I think about when up overhead, I'm pulling those shoulder blades up. It's strengthening the muscles right in there that pull it up and those muscles get stronger, they'll shorten, and they'll help hold it up on a long-term basis. Nice work, Mike. Okay, let's talk about habit changes in regards to posture while you're sitting. If you work at a computer for a number of hours at a time, this is absolutely critical. If your armrests are too short, like right now, my elbows do not even touch the armrest. That puts a lot of stress and actually depresses the scapula.
Brad: What you'll want to do is get something under there to support. Now a simple solution is simply to take a pillow off your children's bed so that you have one and they don't need a pillow anyway, they're young. You fold it in half, you squeeze it in here, and it works as a really comfortable armrest supporting that shoulder blade while you work. You do that with both sides, of course. Fold it up and put it in there and they hold in there very well.
Brad: Now, if you are working every day with this, it's a good idea to actually get a good office chair that offers the ability to adjust for your body. Go ahead, Mike.
Mike: So if you have an office chair already, first check if it has some basic features such as elevating the armrest because all I have to do is simply elevate the armrest. See how my shoulders are more depressed here.
Mike: Once I raise it up, they are relaxed and in an upright position more. And a good option to look for too is also being able to spin the armrest into an inward angle for when you're working. This would be the optimal setup if you're having some shoulder pain while working.
Brad: Now, this is actually a problem that Bob was having and he's having severe shoulder pain. He simply supported his arms while he's diligently working at the computer doing videos. And he said this took his pain away. It was a primary source of pain relief. So it really is one of those hidden gems.
Mike: For more information on fixing shoulder pain check out our video "How To Fix Shoulder Pain In Seconds." This works. So just click the video link and see if these exercises can help with your shoulder problems.
Brad: That's right.
Visit us on our other social media platforms:
YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads
Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts.
For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways
Bob and Brad’s Products
Pain Management:
C2 Massage Gun (US)
Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US)
Fitness:
Stretching:
Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop
Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.
Comments