When you think shoulder pain, your hips and pelvis probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. But guess what? Your body’s all connected and when your hips and pelvis are out of whack, your shoulders can take the hit. It’s time to uncover the sneaky link between those tight hips and your achy shoulders and learn how to keep everything in top-notch condition.
The Kinetic Chain
Imagine your body as a production line- when one part’s not pulling its weight, the others have to pick up the slack. Your hips and pelvis are the foundation of your movements, and when they’re not doing their job, your shoulders are required to do more then they should leading to injury and pain.
How Your Hip and Pelvis Limitations Affects Your Shoulders
Altered Posture and Alignment
Pelvic Tilt: An anterior pelvic tilt (where the front of the pelvis drops and the back rises) can cause the lower back to arch excessively. This changes the alignment of the spine, leading to rounded shoulders and a forward head posture. Such postural deviations place undue stress on the shoulder joints and surrounding muscles.
Hip Imbalance: Tight or weak hip muscles can turn your pelvis into a see-saw, messing up your spine and shoulder alignment. It’s like trying to balance a wobbly table with one leg shorter than the others.
Shoulder Blade Positioning: Your shoulder blades should sit flat on your ribcage. Your ribs are connected to your spine, as are muscles that connect to the shoulder blades. So any change to your spine can affect your shoulder blade position. This can lead to less than optimal movement, impingement and shoulder pain.
2. Compensatory Movement Patterns:
When the hips and pelvis do not function properly, the body compensates by overusing other muscles. For example, limited hip mobility can reduce the efficiency of walking or running, causing increased reliance on the lower back and shoulders. This overuse can lead to muscle imbalances and chronic shoulder pain. (Compensatory movements are USUALLY what causes people the most pain. But the key is finding the root of the problem.)
3. Reduced Rotational Mobility:
Many athletic activities, such as throwing or swinging, require significant rotational movement from the hips and pelvis. If this mobility is limited, the shoulders must work harder to compensate, increasing the risk of overuse injuries and strain.
Common Hip and Pelvis Limitations
Hip Flexor Tightness: Prolonged sitting or lack of stretching can cause the hip flexors to become tight, pulling the pelvis into an anterior tilt and disrupting overall posture.
Weak Glutes: The gluteal muscles are crucial for pelvic stability and movement. Weak glutes can lead to compensatory patterns that strain the lower back and shoulders.
Pelvic Misalignment: Asymmetries in the pelvis, such as a rotated or tilted pelvis, can affect spinal alignment and therefore shoulder positioning.
Getting Your Hips and Pelvis Back in the Game
To keep your shoulders happy, it’s time to give your hips and pelvis some TLC. Here’s how:
Stretch It Out:
Hip Flexor Stretch: Show those hip flexors who’s boss and keep your pelvis in check.
Hamstring and Glute Stretch: Balance those muscles around your pelvis and keep everything in harmony.
2. Strengthening:
Glute Bridges: Strengthen those glutes to support your pelvis and prevent your shoulders from picking up the slack.
Lunges...so many lunges: Work all the lunge variations you can think to strengthen your hips in all ranges- forward, backward, lateral, toes in, toes out, wide, narrow, with a reach.
Core Exercises: A strong core is like the ultimate support system for your pelvis and spine...Hello, planks!
3. Mobility:
Hip Internal and External rotation stretching- try a 90/90 stretch to work on hip mobility to ensure smooth, efficient movement patterns.
Work with a therapist to get a perfect mobility routine for your exact hips to stretch things out and ultimately improve full body alignment.
4. Posture Perfection:
Practice maintaining a neutral pelvis and proper alignment during daily activities and exercises. Set reminders in your phone throughout your workday to check your posture
Understanding the interconnectedness of the body is key to addressing and preventing musculoskeletal issues. By recognizing how hip and pelvis limitations can lead to shoulder problems, we can take proactive steps to improve overall movement patterns and biomechanical health. Whether you’re an athlete looking to optimize performance or someone seeking relief from chronic shoulder pain, focusing on hip and pelvis mobility and strength can unlock a healthier, more functional body.
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