Throughout my 4 years as a CrossFit coach, the most commonly injured body part was without a doubt the shoulder. If you’re a Crossfitter, Olympic weightlifter, or even a general exerciser, chances are you’ve had some shoulder pain in your life.

The importance and effectiveness of a specific shoulder warm-up is not to be under-estimated. Yes, it will require showing up for your workout a little early, but taking the extra 10 minutes to warm-up properly could be the difference between being competition ready and dealing with a nagging shoulder injury for months on end. These aches, pains and even more serious injuries could be avoided with a proper overhead warm-up and loading progression.

One of the more common complaints I get from overhead athletes is a pinching sensation in the front of the shoulder with end-range or loaded flexion, commonly referred to as impingement syndrome. This pain is caused by the rotator cuff tendons being rubbed against the tip of the clavicle, creating inflammation.

The best way to combat this pain is to activate and strengthen the surrounding musculature, putting the shoulder joint into a more efficient position for overhead activities.

Preparing the upper back, rotator cuff, and deltoids for loaded end-range shoulder flexion can be confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming if you don’t know what you’re doing. Check out this video for a quick and effective loading progression.

This video series includes mobility exercises through the full range of the shoulder, an effective lat stretch, and some easy ways to load up the joint prior to going all-in during a workout.

Still struggling with pain when lifting overhead? We would love to assist you with getting back to lifting overhead pain-free at Mission Move Physical Therapy. If you live in Roswell, Alpharetta, or Johns Creek and you are having difficulty working out the way you want to due to pain, please reach out. We would love to chat with you on the phone and see if we can help. Call/text: 678-400-0300. Or visit www.missionmovept.com.

Mission Move

Mission Move Physical Therapy – Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek

Physical Therapy Services in Roswell GA

Running Assessment, Dry Needling