Samuel F. Getty D.C Shoulder Girdle Self Help Pages
Caution: Performance of exercises should be monitored by a licensed health care provider.
Note:The Shoulder girdle is a very complex area and is intimately related to pain in the shoulder, midback, neck, and upper arm.
Four factors greatly influence the shoulder girdle:
1) Posture
2) Shoulder movement patterns
3) Stress and muscle tension
4) Breathing pattern
Postures
The following animation reviews plumb alignment of the shoulder and common postures that can create shoulder pain.
Shoulder Posture
Shoulder Movement Patterns
This animation reviews muscles of the shoulder girdle and how the shoulder blade moves when different muscles are contracted or held tense.
Shoulder Girdle Muscles
http://drgettyandphotos.com/shoulder/WB-girdle-muscles-501.gif
The following animation reviews incorrect movement of the shoulder girdle.
Shoulder Movement Patterns
http://drgettyandphotos.com/shoulder/WB%20Shoulder-girdle-hiking-503.gif
Stress and Tension
This animation reviews "flight or fight" response and how muscle tension and breathing is affected by "flight or fight" and opposing "rest/digest" response.
Stress and Tension
http://drgettyandphotos.com/shoulder/WB-stress-and-breathing.gif
Breathing
Reviewed in this animation are correct and incorrect breathing patterns. Breathing exercises are reviewed.
Breathing Patterns
http://drgettyandphotos.com/shoulder/WB%20breathing-3.gif
Shoulder Girdle Stretches
Two low tech stretches are presented in this animation. These stretches are designed to stretch and relax commonly tight muscles in the upper shoulder girdle.
Shoulder Girdle Stretches
http://drgettyandphotos.com/shoulder/WB%20bruggers-sitting-serr-+-631%20II.gif
Individual Handouts These are photos that take a while to down load,controls to enlarge view will appear if you rest the cursor over the image
Belly Breathing http://drgettyandphotos.com//shoulder/Breathing supine.jpg
Bruggers and Breathing http://drgettyandphotos.com//shoulder/Bruggers and Breathing.jpg
Bruggers and Serratus plus http://drgettyandphotos.com//shoulder/bruggers and serratus plus a.jpg