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This time of year, we start seeing a lot of shoulder injuries pop up as volleyball, baseball, and ultimate seasons start up. Although we’ve been waiting all winter to get back into action, we have to remember that we don’t go from zero to hero in one day. So try these few pointers to get your shoulder warmed up and ready for a successful season:

• Ensure optimal alignment of your shoulder – Have you been sitting at a desk all winter? Many times we don’t sit with the best posture and our shoulders slump forward. When this happens, our pectoral muscles tighten and pull the shoulder out of its optimal alignment. With a forward sitting shoulder, we are at risk of developing injuries such as nerve impingement. So work on sitting with your chest open and roll those shoulders back. Also, daily stretching of your pec major and minor muscles can help decrease the forward pull on your shoulder.
• Strengthen your shoulder muscles – Motions such as repetitive throwing and hitting require significant shoulder strength. If we have taken some time off from the sport, even just a few months, we can be at risk of developing tendonitis if we go back without adequate strength. Try to incorporate some basic strengthening a month or two before your season hits full swing so that you can be at your peak strength for game time. Remember to work on your shoulder blade muscles as well as your rotator cuff as they work together to stabilize the shoulder.

Remember to ease in to your season. Try to pace yourself and ensure an adequate dynamic warm up each time. Post game stretching and a recovery day is also important. And as always, seek the help of a physiotherapist or other healthcare professional if you develop persistent pain in your shoulder.

Byron Chan, BScPT, GIMS, CAFCI