11 February 2015
What is the best way to nurture a sore shoulder?
This is an optimum healing and resting position.
A sprain or tear in the rotator cuff can take ages to heal. It is so easy to re-tear or re-pull a shoulder t that has just begun to feel better. I can tell you from experience that pruning your garden with the shears up above your head can be risky! I have a strained shoulder that appeared to be healing until I made one wrong move. Now it hurts in a variety of ways.
So how to rest my shoulder to let my body self heal? Yoga works on the basis that the body wants to heal itself and that through specifically tailored exercise the body will do just that.
In the picture you can see me resting with my sore right shoulder. I have got my legs up the wall, relaxed and not locked, hips a little bit away from the wall, with my spine flat on the floor. My right arm is folded with my hand lightly touching my shoulder. For me this is a pain free position. I have the elbow elevated above my shoulder. My head is also lifted above the shoulder. In this way the head of my upper arm bone is sinking into its own socket, so there is no pull on any tendons and the shoulder is completely supported and relaxed. The inversion of my legs and elbow sends the blood down to the internal organs, spine and the shoulder joint.
The position is relaxing and beneficial in itself. However, I can maximize the healing potential of this position by bringing my attention to the breath. Once I have connected to the continuum of my breathing then I can begin to direct my attention to my sore shoulder. I can imagine that I breathe into it. I can visualize light, warmth or circulation in and around the joint. If you try this, it can take a little while to get used to doing this, as the pain or tension in the shoulder area can make it difficult to access. However, you will get results if you persist. I experience warmth, tingling and a sense of ease while I am in the posture.
You can expand on this practice by letting your awareness include the lung and rib cage and then the belly and hip. Include the other side too. You may be surprised at what sensations arise as you investigate. This position helps balance and rest the whole spine and musculature of the back. The shoulder is attached to your torso, just as a branch grows out of a tree trunk. You are nurturing the trunk in order to regenerate the branch.
Myself and my shoulder feel better when I get up (carefully!) from this posture and I have the added satisfaction of having done something for myself for free. If you try this exercise, you may need to modify it to suit your needs. If your shoulder is very bad, getting your legs up the wall may hurt too much. Knees bent with feet on the floor would do fine. Alternatively, place your calves up on a sofa or chair, knees above your hips. Also, you may find that the position for your arm that is pain free for me, is not so for you. Apply the principle of elevating the elbow ensuring that it does not hurt and see if you can place your arm in a pain free position. Experiment!
What is the best way to nurture a sore shoulder?
This is an optimum healing and resting position.
A sprain or tear in the rotator cuff can take ages to heal. It is so easy to re-tear or re-pull a shoulder t that has just begun to feel better. I can tell you from experience that pruning your garden with the shears up above your head can be risky! I have a strained shoulder that appeared to be healing until I made one wrong move. Now it hurts in a variety of ways.
So how to rest my shoulder to let my body self heal? Yoga works on the basis that the body wants to heal itself and that through specifically tailored exercise the body will do just that.
In the picture you can see me resting with my sore right shoulder. I have got my legs up the wall, relaxed and not locked, hips a little bit away from the wall, with my spine flat on the floor. My right arm is folded with my hand lightly touching my shoulder. For me this is a pain free position. I have the elbow elevated above my shoulder. My head is also lifted above the shoulder. In this way the head of my upper arm bone is sinking into its own socket, so there is no pull on any tendons and the shoulder is completely supported and relaxed. The inversion of my legs and elbow sends the blood down to the internal organs, spine and the shoulder joint.
The position is relaxing and beneficial in itself. However, I can maximize the healing potential of this position by bringing my attention to the breath. Once I have connected to the continuum of my breathing then I can begin to direct my attention to my sore shoulder. I can imagine that I breathe into it. I can visualize light, warmth or circulation in and around the joint. If you try this, it can take a little while to get used to doing this, as the pain or tension in the shoulder area can make it difficult to access. However, you will get results if you persist. I experience warmth, tingling and a sense of ease while I am in the posture.
You can expand on this practice by letting your awareness include the lung and rib cage and then the belly and hip. Include the other side too. You may be surprised at what sensations arise as you investigate. This position helps balance and rest the whole spine and musculature of the back. The shoulder is attached to your torso, just as a branch grows out of a tree trunk. You are nurturing the trunk in order to regenerate the branch.
Myself and my shoulder feel better when I get up (carefully!) from this posture and I have the added satisfaction of having done something for myself for free. If you try this exercise, you may need to modify it to suit your needs. If your shoulder is very bad, getting your legs up the wall may hurt too much. Knees bent with feet on the floor would do fine. Alternatively, place your calves up on a sofa or chair, knees above your hips. Also, you may find that the position for your arm that is pain free for me, is not so for you. Apply the principle of elevating the elbow ensuring that it does not hurt and see if you can place your arm in a pain free position. Experiment!
RSS Feed