(Rotating the Shoulder Back Using Muscles Named Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Posterior Deltoid)
Soft tissue pain and disability is one of the leading reasons people seek medical attention. Dog owners and professional dog walkers can learn better posture coordinating muscles from their feet to their heads. Posture coordination can maintain muscle-skeletal health by decreasing muscle group over use and under use.
Overuse and under use of muscle groups may lead to fatigue, poor posture, muscle inflexibility, weakness, pain, and disability. Muscle-skeletal symptoms may cause an inability to work, financial stress, and family instability. Pain medication can become addictive.
My book, Pet Care Givers & Families: Getting the Most from Dog Play Groups, Pet Sitters, and Walkers, (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015), introduces postural coordination for children and adults from the feet to the head. Our bodies are endowed with muscles whose function it is to rotate our shoulders back, and dog walkers can integrate this rotation into their leash shoulder while walking a dog.
Choose one or all of the below recommendations for shoulder rotation training.
1. Place your hand or hands in your rear pants pockets and enjoy a walk.
2. Walk with your hands behind your back with one hand clasping the top of the opposite wrist. Switch sides after a few minutes. This can also be practiced while walking a small relaxed dog that doesn't pull.
3. Place your leash hand with leash in your side jacket pocket or side pants pocket.(This is safest with a calm dog that doesn't pull.)
Applying these suggestions will train your mind and shoulder muscles to decrease overuse, and activate underused muscles. There should be no pain anywhere in these movements. If pain occurs stop the posture exercise.
The 3 shoulder muscles are called the anterior deltoid, (front shoulder), the medial deltoid, (the middle shoulder), and the posterior deltoid, (the rear shoulder). The movement of your shoulder rotation back utilizes the muscles called the posterior deltoid, the infraspinatus, and the teres minor. Additionally, muscles called the rhomboids and trapezius are partially active in movement of the shoulder blades towards the spine. These shoulder blade muscles will be better coordinated by the active shoulder muscles rotating backwards. Thus you will be doing twice as much good for your posture and energy moving the shoulders and shoulder blades properly.
Pages 205-208 of my book expands on posture guidance for adults and children walking dogs and picking up or placing down puppies and cats. Look for future website writing about simple arm and shoulder stretching exercises for dog walking support.
Disclaimer: The above information is not a substitute for Western medical diagnosis or treatment. Please remain current with recommended Western Medical examinations for your internal medicine. Learn to complement your use of Western medicine with a collaborative health approach, using experienced Alternative specialists for wellness, pathology, and empowerment, particularly Metabolic Nutrition. (The use of individually targeted supplements with traditional natural food.) Please consider a prayer practice for spiritual development.
Robert Berkelhammer is the Author of Pet Care Givers & Families: Getting the Most From Dog Playgroups, Pet Sitters, and Walkers. Also, see our MULTI-USE FAMILY PET CARE CONTRACT, a must-have organizing tool for you, your family, pet care professionals, and most importantly your pets! www.robertberkelhammer.com
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