If you’re like most people, you probably have some big plans for retirement. Whether that’s swimming, kayaking or golfing each morning, you don’t want to let shoulder pain get in the way of your active lifestyle. But in order to have healthy shoulder joints in your 60s, 70s and beyond, you need to work to keep your shoulders strong when you’re younger. In today’s blog, we share some tips for keeping your shoulders strong as you age.
Protecting And Strengthening Your Shoulders
Your shoulders are the most mobile joint in your body, but this increased flexibility means that they are more unstable than larger joints in the body. This means you need to be smart in how you work to protect and strengthen your shoulders as you get older. Here are some ways to keep your shoulders strong throughout your lifetime.
- Regular Exercise And Strength Training – You don’t protect your shoulder joints by shying away from activity and never using them, you protect them by helping them get stronger so that they can handle the stress and pressure you throw at them. You do this through normal exercise and strength training workouts. Be sure to incorporate some shoulder exercises into your regular workout routine.
- Smart Lifting Practices – Throughout your life, be mindful of how you lift and move heavy objects. Always use tandem lifts for heavy objects, especially if you need to lift the item above your shoulders. It only takes one wrong lift to tear your rotator cuff, and then your shoulder may never feel the same. Be smart about how you lift and move heavy objects, and use harnesses or tandem lifts for heavy/large objects.
- Mind Your Mechanics – If you’re a competitive athlete or just a recreational exercise enthusiast, you need to ensure that your arm mechanics are on point. If your throwing or lifting motion isn’t ideal, you’ll be putting extra strain on the joint, and over time that stress will add up and can contribute to injury or joint deterioration. Consider working with an athletic training, physical therapist or a coach at the gym to make sure your arm path is correct or your overhead lifts aren’t overstraining your arm.
- Know Your Limits – Overstress injuries are one of the leading causes of shoulder injuries, so you want to be careful not to overdo it. If you’re taking up a new hobby that involves a lot of overarm activity or strenuous force on the shoulder, take it slow and build up from there. Don’t try to canoe five miles on your first day out on the water or move eight yards of mulch by yourself in the middle of summer. Listen to your body and stop if pain starts to develop in your shoulders.
- Stretch Before Activity – Even when you’re younger, it’s a smart idea to get in the habit of stretching prior to activity. The muscles and ligaments in your shoulder can benefit from gentle stretching before more stress is thrown at them during activity. If they aren’t prepared to handle this pressure, these soft tissues can rip and tear. Take a couple minutes before athletic activity, exercise or other activities like yardwork or household chores to help keep your shoulders strong by reducing the likelihood of an injury.
- Proactively Treat Your Injuries – This tip is extremely important. If you have developed a feeling of instability in your shoulder or you injured the area in a fall, don’t just hope that the pain will go away on its own. You need to proactively treat injuries so that your shoulder can become stronger and the likelihood of long term symptoms are reduced. Don’t let a small shoulder problem snowball into a major issue because you ignored it when it first developed.
For more tips on how you can keep your shoulders strong as you get older, or to connect with a specialist who can help you overcome a shoulder issue, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
