The shoulder/upper back area is one of most common spots for pain and discomfort in our body. Our shoulders take the brunt of the fallout from our sedentary lifestyle with poor posture sat at desks or hunched over our mobile phones. But although shoulder pain is common, it doesn’t mean we have to put up with it.
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints, the muscles around the shoulder blade and rib cage are responsible for posture in the upper body and movement of the arms relies on strong shoulder muscles.
One of the main ways to prevent injury and pain is to maintain solid core strength in the body – and the best way to do that is with Pilates!
Through Pilates, we learn how to use the important shoulder blade and rotator cuff muscles correctly to reduce the strain on the shoulder joint. We also become more aware of how our neck muscles work with our shoulders and back which helps to improve posture and reduce aches and pains.
How does a strong core help aching shoulders?
Our abdominal muscles support all the other muscles in our body so if they’re not strong, the other areas have to work harder and this can cause injury or postural pain. Pilates improves joint support by making our core shoulder muscles stronger. It also improves our movement patterns and teaches our body to use the correct muscles.
With specific movement patterns, Pilates gets us to use the shoulder muscles more effectively. A stronger rotator cuff muscle helps to take some strain off the shoulder joint, ligaments and tendons which also helps to reduce pain.
The principles of Pilates - correct alignment, body awareness, lateral breathing and neutral spine – all have an effect on the shoulder’s stability muscles. Working the whole body, we develop more awareness of movement and the position of our body.
The beauty of Pilates is that everyone can do it – from top athletes to people with limited mobility. If you have a niggling shoulder ache or you want to improve your posture and strengthen your core, Gemma Pearce Fitness has lots of Pilates classes for you to try.
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