Today I have a simple test for shoulder pain and dysfunction with a potential solution that has helped others who have had similar issues.
Below is a simple test you can do at home to assess for shoulder pathology. This is called a horizontal impingement test, often used in physical therapy clinics. The test is assessing for healthy joint movement. If there is pain or pinching involved, this is a positive test and may warrant further examination from a trusted healthcare provider.
If this test is positive, chances are you have difficulty reaching overhead, across and behind your body.
Below is a simple solution that has often cleared up this test and improved people’s shoulder on numerous occasions. The rotator cuff, in particular the backside (posterior) of the shoulder consists of three muscles that tend to hold a lot of tension and contribute to a lot of movement related issues of the shoulder. They are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor. In addition to these three, the long head of the triceps can at times be involved as well. Here is a simple activity you can do at home to start addressing these soft tissue limitations.
About the Author: Dr. Greg Schaible is a physical therapist and strength coach specializing in athletic performance. He attended The University of Findlay as a student athlete. As an athlete he competed in both Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field where he earned honors as a 5x Division II All-American and 6x Division II Academic All-American. In 2013 he completed Graduate School earning his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT). Greg is the owner of On Track Physical Therapy in Ann Arbor, Mi. Follow On Track PT and Performance on Facebook.