Do You Suffer From Tight Shoulders?

Did you know that health experts predict that most of us will have a shoulder problem by the time we are 65 years old? In fact, almost 14 million people visited a doctor in 2003 for a shoulder related problem and these statistics don’t include those who have shoulder problems and have not sought medical attention. If you have shoulder issues you are in good company!

In fact so many of my students were arriving in class complaining of shoulder issues and asking for what they can do about it that I wrote Tight Shoulder Relief and a companion audio, both of which you can find at http://www.letsdoyoga.com/

So how come so many of us have tight shoulders and shoulder related problems? The answer is that there are many factors contributing to this – some preventable and others that are not.

Keep in mind that your shoulder joint is highly mobile and offers a lot of flexibility. Think of all the ways you can move your arm and shoulders compared to your hips which are strong and stable but limited in flexibility. The flexibility in your shoulders comes at a price though, as they are easily injured.

A major factor in shoulder injuries is your career choice - what you are doing on a day to day basis. If you are at a job that requires a lot of repetitive motions, then you are at risk. People who spend a lot of time at computers, dental hygienists, gardeners, hair stylists and profession athletes are examples of professions where there is a high prevalence of shoulder issues from overuse.

Prior or current injuries to your shoulders will directly impact how well they function as well as any past surgeries, illness, or disease such as arthritis or bursitis.

Genetics is another key factor: your posture, how well your body handles stress (both emotional and physical) as well as your body’s inherent strength and weaknesses in muscles and connective tissues.

Your general fitness level and your diet are other contributing factors.

All of this brings us full circle to yoga. When you think about all the benefits of yoga postures offer, you realize how perfectly suited yoga is for your shoulders! Yoga teaches proper alignment and posture, helps us reduce stress in our bodies and minds, improves strength and flexibility and reduces the effects of certain joint disease such as arthritis. Of course you have to select the right postures to match your body’s needs.

Howard VanEs, MA, has been teaching yoga for over 11 years and practicing for 16 years. He is the author of Tight Shoulder Relief, and contributing author to Office Ergonomics, Preventing Repetitive Stress Injuries and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. For a free yoga audio featuring exercises you can do at your desk, visit http://www.letsdoyoga.com/ and click on the Office Ergonomics book.