Shoulders

The Western Shoulder Girdle

Before the Industrial Revolution it was necessary for survival for humans to control 360 degrees of space. We hunted and gathered, built our own shelters, tools and clothes.

As agricultural societies our work became more specialized, but we continued to use our bodies for every task.

After the Industrial Revolution our world got smaller and smaller. We moved less and sat more. Everything we needed was at our finger-tips.

● The Information Age has reduced our world to a tiny screen...everything we need is done with a click.

Oh oh....

The Posture of the Western Lifestyle

We sit with slumped posture and forward head. We use our arms in an area between the top of our heads and our waist for most of our waking hours.

We rarely reach overhead or behind us and almost never move our arms in the full available range of motion.

This posture of the Western Lifestyle begins at birth as we go from high chair, to school desk, to work desk, to car, to sofa.

The posture of the

Western Lifestyle

has caused an

over development of some muscles

and weakened others.

Muscles in the front of the body that create the actions of shoulder flexion to 90 degrees and muscles in the front of the arms that maintain the elbow in flexion are over developed and shortened which reduces flexibility.

The muscles of the neck and shoulders attach to many of the same bones in the front body. Muscles in the front of the neck have shortened due to forward head posture. This puts strain on the cervical discs and reduces flexibility.

The muscles that have been weakened by the Western lifestyle are the muscles that maintain an upright posture.

The Rotator CuffThe muscles which stabilize the shoulders are the most vulnerable.

Rotator cuff (RC) tears

are prevalent for yoga practitioners.

Studies say that 50% of people over 65

will experience a RC tear.

Asana

Well meaning asana teachers offer poses designed for fully functioning pre-industrialized Eastern male students to the unsuspecting Western yoga student without considering the built in habits of our culture.

Repetition of certain asana in vinyasa sequences without strengthening the stabilizing muscles required for proper form is especially dangerous.

Muscles of Upright Posture

The head and trunk would fall into flexion without the muscles that maintain the head and spine in upright positions. These muscles are called extensors.

The chest would cave inward and the shoulders would rotate inward without the muscles that keep the shoulder blades moving toward one another and descending away from the ears. These muscles are called scapula retractors and depressors.

Muscles of Shoulder Stabilization

The rotator cuff (RC) has two functions, to rotate the shoulder as well as to offer stability.

Because the Western Shoulder is almost always in slight flexion or passive extension (hanging at the sides) shoulder blades wide, and arm internal rotation, the “push up” or catarangadandasana is especially difficult and abusive to the ligaments and rotator cuff without first strengthening the muscles of shoulder stability.

Stabilization Exercises

Cervical retraction

Supine

Prone

Standing

Scapula stabilization in:

Supine

Prone

Standing