I have a client who has this significantly lowered shoulder (left side). I fully assessed her and can’t make heads or tails…maybe I’m getting too complicated, but FRAG everything seems fine. No pain in workouts no previous injury. Hips and ankles normal. My only worry is, as I progress her further ahead…sumpin’ might give in the shoulder girdle and when it does:
I’ll exclaim “I KNEW IT… THE INFRASUPRASPINATUS WAS TEARING!!(or whatever damage muscle may give)” as she lay in a convulsing lump of pain. Anyway I progress her monday night. So far so good as you can see:
horizantal push: good
horizantal pull: good
hip dominant movements: good
quad/glute dominant movement: good
transverse upper: average
transverse lower: average
I was just wondering has anyone else experienced this issue (lowered shoulder) with clients or him/herself and is it something that must be addressed?
Does she work at a computer most of the day and use a mouse?
She is a desk type and uses a mouse. I don’t think that is a major factor because her traps and rhomboid are still strong and she still has great gripping strength with weights. She goes pretty heavy with weights. She says she isn’t a phone-neck-bracing type either.
Could be a tight lat on the affected side or tight upper trap on the contralateral side.
Stay strong
MR
Way too many issues to assess here without a physical exam.
I have a client also with a slumping shoulder, and I think I have found the answer:
I asked him to give a very detailed history of his life, from athletics to the everyday grind and career. No major injuries or problems. Then I asked him was he a diligent student? He said yes. I then asked if carried several text books in his backpack through out high school/college? He said yes. I asked him if he used both straps or just one. One he said and always on the same side!!
Knees, hips, and ankles all being level, this is likely the cause of his misalignment. We figured out that the average weight was 30-40 pounds, for 180 days a year, for at least 4 years! That’s plenty of load and frequency to cause a permanent alignment shift.
The question is, short of surgery, how can we get their shoulder back up since it actually grew though out puberty to the current elevation? He has had some pain in the right trap in the past when horizontal rowing, so I think the issue should be addressed. But, I’m not a PT, DO, nor DC.
Could this be a possibility in your case? Or, simply habitual bad posture?
TopSirloin
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
Could be a tight lat on the affected side or tight upper trap on the contralateral side.
Stay strong
MR[/quote]
The upper trap is very possible or even tension is carried there. The lats…I doubt…she is able to do push press and overhead squats without the bar leaning or angling forward.
[quote]the MaxX wrote:
Way too many issues to assess here without a physical exam.[/quote]
Actually she refuses…can’t say I blame her. Docs where I am love to overdrug/cut into/and scare the living ba-geezes out of anyone with small issues.
I will push the chiropractic issue some more though
[quote]TopSirloin wrote:
I have a client also with a slumping shoulder, and I think I have found the answer:
TopSirloin[/quote]
Hmmm…very interesting point. I’ll grill her again on her past.
thanx to all those who chimed in…I’ll see if I can dig anything up tonight (when I see her) and I’ll be back with my posted results