Shoulder issues

[Tinks mom]

Hello everyone,
I am a new T-Tapper. Just started this week. I have an issue with my shoulder. I have had this issue fsince last August 2011. Not really sure what it is but whatever it is runs in my family. My brother just had surgery for a torn ligament so I think it might be somewhat the same as his.
After doing the Basic for 5 times along with twice as many Hoe Downs my shoulder is really starting to bother me.
Anyone else have this kind of issue and what have you done about it.
Thanks,
Tinks mom

[ayj67]

back-muscles.jpg

If you use your traps instead of your lats, you will have shoulder issues.

Lats is something pretty illusive, but you can feel it if you put your arms down, elbow in at your waist level (like hoe down arms position), when elbow press in to your rib cage and thumbs point down, you will feel you lats.

When you do your workout, don't hunch up, when you hunch, your shoulders are not square and you are using your traps. Trap dominance leads to shoulder issues a lot, and curl the cores with your lats tight, you will not have that issue.

I don't think you have More? as More will help you, especially More Broom. If you have the Broom, the stepping exercise, that will help you train your lats and use less traps.

[monica213]

Here are tweaks for rotator cuff, but see if it helps your shoulder issue.

BASIC T-TAPP PRINCIPLES FOR ROTATOR CUFF
The most important thing to remember when you have a rotator cuff or similar shoulder issue is that you need to make sure you avoid irritating the issue further with excess rotation at the joint from twisting motions of the shoulder.

Here are some tips for each move through the Total Workout.

Primary Back Stretch:
You can do Primary Back Stretch, however, you should use a towel form the arm pumps.

How to do arm pumps with a towel:
When doing the arm pumps on Primary Back Stretch normally the most important thing is to make sure that your palms are touching all the way and the thumbs are aligned. However, when you have a rotator cuff issue, clasping the hands in the back is too much of a rotation for the shoulder. Do avoid any irritation try getting into the T-Tapp Stance and grasp the towel behind your back with your hands about shoulder distance apart. Your thumbs should be facing in towards each other. Now, you will rotate the thumbs out towards the sidewalls as much as you can. This will make your shoulders rotate back and the elbows in. It might not be comfortable at first, but it is a form of physical therapy and helps to increase flexibility. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON’T LET THE WRISTS ROLL IN. Keep the wrists straight as you rotate the thumbs so that you maintain linear alignment of the wrist to elbow.

Also during Primary Back Stretch make sure that when you go into a flat back that you push with the thumb into your back. There are form tips given in more advanced workouts that will want you to push with the heel of the hand. When you have a rotator cuff issue it is more beneficial for you to push the thumb into the back.

Plies Sequence:
You will omit the arm motions called “Crossover Head Pulls” If you have the book Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes this exercise is featured on page 106 for a visual. If you do not have a book, it is the movement where your arms extend above your head during a plie, your wrists cross at the top and then you pull your arms into a “W” at each side of your body.

Instead of crossing over the head during this movement you will do a smooth and steady cross at the chest making sure to maintain lat activation (lift those ribs) and then go into your “W” arm position at each side of your body.

The second part of Plies Sequence when you do the “Reverse Overhead Cross” featured on page 108 of Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes you will do the same motion, crossing in front of your chest and your arms come down to your side, just like normal. As you are going up Teresa will normally have your hands flip at the top so that the palms face each other. Slight change, instead your palms will never flip and your palms will face away from each other all the way up.

All together the motion will be:
A smooth and steady cross at the chest making sure to maintain lat activation (lift those ribs) and then go into your “W” arm position at each side of your body. Reverse the cross at the chest (ribs up never lose the lat activation), bring into “W” arm position at each side of your body. Extend arms straight out with palms facing upwards. Then, reach arms above the head in alignment with shoulders. It is important that you maintain shoulder, elbow and wrist alignment. Bring back down to arms straight out with the palms facing upwards. Then bring down into “W” arm position at each side of your body. Then, repeat!

You may need to just do this on your own in front of a mirror without the tape, very smooth, very steady, very slow to maintain proper alignment of the shoulder to hip. Remember to maintain lat activation.
Jumping Jacks:
You will do a smooth and steady cross at the chest making sure to maintain lat activation (lift those ribs) and then go into your “W” arm position at each side of your body. Lift the arms straight up without twisting your wrist. Your palms will be facing each other. Now you can either go all the way down with your palms facing down.

In a severe situation with rotator cuff (you will know if you need this tip):
Hold the squat and instead of going into a “W” with your arms at each side. Instead, extend the arms out with palms facing upwards and bring the arms up in alignment with the shoulders, palms facing towards each other, for 4-8 counts. Then, you would extend your arms straight out with the palms facing out and bring your arms down and then back up in alignment with shoulders, for 4-8 counts.

If you cannot lift above shoulder height:
Extend your arms straight out with the palms facing out and bring your arms down and then back up in alignment with shoulders, for 4-8 counts.

REMEMBER: Lat activation is so important. With any rotator cuff issue your trap and deltoid are going to be more dominant than lat. Maintaining lat activation will balance and protect your rotator cuff.

You will omit Chest Press and Chest Press Combo.

Reach Scoop:
The only modification for Reach Scoops is going to be with the flipping of the palm out. You are going to reach with the palm out towards body arm pull up the whole time.

NOTE:
It is important to maintain equality on both sides to prevent more of an imbalance of muscle. So if your worst side can only go so far, make sure your opposite side does the same. .

Jazz Twist:
No modifications

The Box:
No modifications

Oil Wells:
Modification depends on what degree of injury there is and how much lat activation is maintained during shoulder roll. Otherwise, do Ladybug technique. If you need this please let me know.

The arm pump above okay but remember to keep hands close to the head when you do the pump. Teresa pumps way above her head in the Beginner/Rehab Workout and that should be avoided when dealing with a rotator cuff issue.

T-Tapp Twist:
No modification should be needed if you maintain shoulder linear alignment of the hips and press hands together to maintain lat activation.

In a severe situation with rotator cuff (you will know if you need this tip):
You may wish to omit going down towards the ankle and instead just twist for two and come to the center on the third count. Then you will re-tuck, get back into correct T-Tapp Stance with proper lat activation and twist to the other side, center on the third count. Repeat! See form tip above as well.

Pull the Weeds:
Most will have no problem with this movement because the elbow is in front of the shoulder and the wrist and shoulder are in alignment. It should feel good. However, listen to your body. If you are not neuro-kinetically aware enough to maintain the proper alignment then you may wish to omit the Pull the Weeds until you have the awareness to complete this movement in proper form. Don’t worry if you cannot do it right now, you will be able to do it as you get more advanced!

Hoe Downs:
No modifications

[BlessedMama]

And keep ribs up throughout the day--that really helps equalize the muscles that help hold the shoulder joint in place.

Also, be sure to not go farther with your "good" side than you do with the weaker one. That will continue to increase the muscle imbalance.

Bookmark and print out those tips by Michelle!

[Tinks mom]

Thanks so much everyone for getting back to me. I now have a fairly bad pain on the backside of my right shoulder. I am not new to exercise. I have doing some form of exercise most of my life.I'm 56. I am trying to have the correct posture and think, think , think the whole time with each move.
Thinking is what I like best about this program. It is the smart way to exercise.
I will try the suggestions and get back to you on my progress.

[Tinks mom]

Thanks so much everyone for getting back to me. I now have a fairly bad pain on the backside of my right shoulder. I am not new to exercise. I have doing some form of exercise most of my life.I'm 56. I am trying to have the correct posture and think, think , think the whole time with each move.
Thinking is what I like best about this program. It is the smart way to exercise.
I will try the suggestions and get back to you on my progress.

[ayj67]

Go back to the picture and tell us where the pain is, we probably can figure out what move and what element needs modification or attention.

[Tinks mom]

It is in the area of the Supraninatus muscle. I was told by my chiropractor to not lift my arms above my head. But I started doing the T-Tapp movements exactly the way Theresa demonstrates them. There is alot of over the head movements. I will try and figure out what has been presented to me here and see if that takes care of the problem. I am seriously thinking of having MRI done to see if my issue is not more serious and if there is another step I am going to have to take to alleviate this problem. It has been going on for to long now. The exercises have just inflamed the problem I so wanted it to help.

[ayj67]

Since Supraninatus is part of the rotator cuff, you will need to follow the modification as Michelle said.

In the mean time, ice or let it rest. Don't do the arms movements. Arnica and castor oil will be a great thing to apply to the painful site.

In the long term, whenever you do the arms movements, you concentrate on keeping lats tight vs how high and how far your arms and hands can reach. You stop when you start feeling over stretch, you need to rebuild the tendons and range of motions.

Are you taking alfalfa, MSM, silica (diatomaceous earth, we have a thread). Take care of the nutrients and minerals needed to rebuild bones, naild, skin and hair is important to rebuild body parts.