The shoulder is not limited to movements outside of these basic movements, there are a complex range of combined movements available to the shoulder. The shoulder joint is responsible for basic movements like flexion, extension, horizontal abduction, horizontal adduction and internal and external rotation. Proper stability within these muscle groups prevents injury within all the tissues involved. These muscles are responsible for stabilization of the shoulder joint as a whole. In addition, there are a lot of scapular muscles correlated with the back of the shoulder, most are categorized as the lower and middle trapezius and serratus anterior. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis) help stabilize the humerus within the glenohumeral joint. The rotator cuff, for instance, are 4 muscles that connect your scapula to the humerus. The musculature of the shoulder joint has intricate connections between points of these bony landmarks. These joints play a major role in shoulder movements that are patterned with everyday motions. However, there are two other joints, sternoclavicular and scapulothoracic, that encompass the entire shoulder. The most well known joints of the shoulder, acromioclavicular and glenohumeral, are located at the primary joint that connects the arm to the torso. Ensuring the health of your shoulders through mobility within the full range of motion is a key factor for maintaining functional shoulders. Loading any joint that does not have the capacity to withstand the load in a given position can lead to recurring problems. When shoulder mobility is limited, it can greatly affect your quality of life and increase the risk of injury in the shoulder joint. Having the ability to move in ways that you want to without limitations or pain can be achieved through training your joints with mobility drills. ![]() A combination of the two, stretching and mobility work, can help improve the shoulders passive and active range of motion. ![]() Stretching is the ability to passively achieve a range of motion (ex: child's pose for shoulder relief) while mobility is the ability to actively achieve extended ranges of motion (ex: prone shoulder lift offs for shoulder activation). These two are commonly mistaken as the same concept yet they both serve a specific purpose in training. Lastly, let’s clear the air between the terms mobility and stretching. ![]() When joints move well, efficient muscles are built. Proper mobility is needed so the joint and its surrounding tissues can carry out the demands of movements. ![]() In addition, joint mobility is directly correlated to posture and can influence desired activities and especially activities that require load. An articulation (where two or more bones meet) of the joint can move to a specific degree before being restricted by surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments. This means that the body’s joints are healthy and have optimal range of motion. Mobility is the ability to move your body without limitations or pain. Let’s jump into the shoulder’s anatomy and function, why shoulder mobility is an absolute crucial element to your body’s health, and solutions to improve your shoulders current state. Shoulder pain and stiffness are a common occurrence, and there are simple solutions to relieve recurring stiffness and limited mobility within the shoulders. Are you dealing with stiff, creaky shoulder joints on a day to day basis? You’re not alone.
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