Shoulder Course Wrap-Up

This past weekend, I had the privilege of being able to attend the shoulder course presented by Mike Reinold and Eric Cressey. It was an outstanding seminar and those who attended were not disappointed. Mike and Eric are two of the best and brightest in their field and they were able to put their vast knowledge and experience on a shelf “that everyone could reach”. The mixture of rehabilitation and exercise professionals worked seamlessly and really the only thing that stood out – everyone in attendance was trying to learn as much about the shoulder as possible. Thanks to Eric and his staff for opening his facility – they were fantastic hosts (plus the food prepared for us was outstanding) . And also special thanks to Mike and Eric – each is an expert and they did a great job putting together a course that brought fitness and rehabilitation professionals together (what a concept).

The information shared was vast but here were some of my personal takeaways – (click here to see Eric’s recap of the course):

• I=NF/AR (Law of Repetitive Motion); Injury= Number of Repetitions x Force or Tension of each repetition/Amplitude of each repetition x Relaxation time between repetitions
• Total Motion of ER + IR compared between shoulders may be a better measuring stick than simply deficiency in one range or the other: both ranges together shoulder equal about 180 degrees
• Irritation > Inflammation > Fraying > Tearing: It is important to catch problems in the irritation stage; Once the inflammation stage is reached, the rotator cuff quits functioning.
• The posterior capsule probably is not involved in joint tightness as we much as we credit it for; this paper thin structure that can have a light shined right through it is probably not as responsible for joint tightness as we are led to believe
• The “shrug sign” = the rotator cuff is not working
• Don’t work through the shrug sign or through pinch points. People won’t progress through these red flags. Back off – concentrate on symptom reduction, improving inefficiencies, and rotator cuff dynamic stabilization and progress through from there.
• The Beighton Laxity Score can be a nice supplemental test to help you determine laxity of a patient or client; as you measure joint mobility, this series of mobility tests can serve as nice cross-reference
• The scapula and humerus are really like a seal balancing a ball on it’s nose. The seal is the scapula and the humerus is the ball – not much contact area. The function of the labrum really serves to expand that area of contact and give more depth to the joint.
• Internal (anterior) and external impingement (posterior/superior) are completely different – they are assessed via different testing and require different rehab protocols
• Scapular protraction and anterior tilt put the shoulder at risk of injury – retraction and a posterior scapular tilt are goals to move toward when determining rehab protocols and exercise selection
• Rhythmic stabilizations are great techniques to utilize to establish the function of the rotator cuff – this can also serve as a great warm-up to “turn on” the cuff prior to activity
• Serratus and Lower Trap function are very important to the integrity of the rotator cuff; to strengthen the lower trap properly, Y-exercises need to be aligned with the fibers of the lower trap

Obviously – there was a ton more that was taught in this course and I will still be reviewing my notes months from now – this was a brief overview to get those gears in your mind turning.

If you ever have an opportunity to see Mike and/or Eric speak at a seminar, it is well worth it and I’d highly encourage you purchase the DVD from the course once it comes available. Check Mike and Eric’s sites for more details in the next month or so.