Emmanuel asked the Guru about his left shoulder pain…

May 8, 2014

I have had some pain on my left shoulder right in the front now. I am capable to raise my arm back and forward,but when i cross my left hand around my back,the is a sharp pain coming the shoulder joint at that back and clicks in the front…What has gone wrong?
Thank you

Emmanuel
May 8, 2014

Hi Emmanuel

It’s sounds as if you’ve got something called an impingement. This is very simply when a piece of tissue crashes into another piece of tissue and becomes irritable and painful.

The crashing around bit is either due to something you’ve done, like lots of painting at over your head height, getting older (50+) or having poor posture which causes you over a period of time to loose subtle control over your shoulder joint and so tissue gets pinched between the joint.

This is pretty common and responds well to specific exercises to improve the control and endurance of the muscles that surround your shoulder, shoulder blade and middle back.

Try taking some anti inflams (if you can), avoid stretching your arm over your head or behind your back, improve your posture and practice spins some really simple, repetitive movements like pretending to draw a sword out of its sheath attached to your opposite hip and lift it diagonally into the air and then replace it. This will help to “wake up” some muscles that’ll help prevent the impingement.

The Guru
Six Physio

Guru Responded

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