Had a few clients mention recently that other people have been commenting on their posture and they are concerned to find out that one shoulder is higher than the other. Personally I am in the camp that poor posture and its impact on pain is over diagnosed. There are people with notionally “poor” posture who are pain free and others who have more normal posture who have significant pain issues. The range of asymmetry that someone can normally tolerate is,…
Testing strength and range of motion as part of assessment of the musculature of the shoulder girdle is important and useful as a first step in reducing shoulder pain and improving shoulder function. There many assessment techniques that are used by massage therapists and physiotherapists (although obviously massage therapists are not permitted to diagnose conditions). Typically the assessment of the shoulder will include the following steps: 1. Visual assessment – including active movement of the shoulder. 2. Passive movement of…
Seated on corner of massage table with legs slightly splayed. Slump with hands behind back and bend forward with neck flexed, slight over pressure on head. Pull affected leg out to increase abduction. If abductors are tight then let head come up – if pain goes away then more likely to be nerve involvement. To stretch nerve then let head come up slightly and when client flexes head move leg in when head goes up then stretch leg out. 2.00…