& REHAB
WHY DOES BAD
SHOULDER POSTURE
LEAD TO INJURY?
Poor shoulder posture, leading to injuries, can’t simply be remedied
with the old advice to ‘pull the shoulders down and back’.
WORDS: JENNY DOYLE
ow many times have you heard
the advice to ‘Fix your posture by
pulling your shoulders down and
back’? I’ve heard it said on countless
occasions by parents, personal trainers,
gym class instructors and healthcare
professionals. In many instances, however,
this advice is incorrect.
Many clients in our physiotherapy clinic
have been referred to us by their gyms after
following instructions to pull their shoulders
back while doing simple resistance work
with free weights or participating in weightsbased classes. This action can cause
more damage than good, as muscles the
individual is not used to using, specifically
the upper trapezius and rhomboids, are
H
over-recruited and become fatigued. This
leads to muscular spasms and associated
neck pain and reduced movement. It’s a
common occurrence in those returning to
the gym after a period away.
Everyone’s posture is different, so when
addressing this issue it should be taught on
a one-to-one basis and fully explained to the
client so they understand how to address and
change their posture to reduce risk of injury
and pain and to improve performance. Pulling
the shoulders ‘down and back’ and fixing
them there is not a sustainable posture.
Good posture is a position you are able
to maintain: it is where the body is most
efficient, whether it be a static position or
a dynamic movement. The body should be
NETWORK WINTER 2014 | 55