Struggling to stay consistent with movement? Each week you’ll get relatable stories, practical strategies, and uplifting tips to help you move smarter, feel better, and bring more wellness into your daily life.
They’ve got your back
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Reader, They’re always behind you. Usually out of sight. Often out of mind. Joining in when you reach for a mug, pull on a sweater, or tuck your shirt into the back of your pants. You might go through your whole day without giving them a thought. Your shoulder blades. You could say they’ve got your back. 😉 When your shoulders feel sore or stiff, everyday tasks can become frustrating. Reaching into a cupboard. Fastening a bra. Holding your arm up long enough to get something done. You might try stretching or wonder whether you need to strengthen something. Both have a place. But have you considered control and coordination? Your shoulder blades move over your rib cage as you use your arms. Exploring that movement can help you get to know how your shoulder blades and arms work together. A 2024 review of eight studies examined exercises focused on the shoulder blades in people with shoulder pain. The combined findings suggested benefits for shoulder function, though no clear additional benefit for pain relief compared with the other treatments studied. A little can mean a lot, especially when you give it time. Results favoured shoulder blade exercises in programs lasting six weeks or longer, and in programs using no more than 30 repetitions of each exercise per session, counting all sets together. These findings were sensitive to which studies were included, so neither number is a prescription. They offer encouragement to give practice time without assuming more is always better. The variety of exercises also caught my attention. In my work, movement practice includes exploring control and coordination alongside strength and flexibility. The next time you reach for something, what do you notice around your shoulder blade? There’s no need to perfect the movement. Start with curiosity. If you’d like some guidance, join me for Reconnect with Your Shoulders: Discover how the parts work together. Friday, October 23 We’ll explore simple movements and how the parts contribute to your shoulder movement. Replay available. Free for Studio members, including free MoveNOW members, or $19.97 CAD for non-members.
Stay well and keep moving, Lisa Supporting you in your physical activity journey.Together, we will use thoughtful and considerate movement to reprogram how you live in your body. Let's teach your brain to soften the intensity, and to grow your own ease.
Using exercise science, kinesiology, and yoga therapy, we can find a place that will not only allow you to move better and move more, but also increase the quality of your life.
www.lisaworkman.com |
Medical Fitness Consulting
Struggling to stay consistent with movement? Each week you’ll get relatable stories, practical strategies, and uplifting tips to help you move smarter, feel better, and bring more wellness into your daily life.
Reader, “Listen to your body.” We hear this advice often, but it can be hard to know what to listen for—especially when movement feels uncomfortable. What are you feeling? And what do you make of it? In Tuesday’s Move Smart, Feel Better webinar, Should I Keep Going? How to Know What to Do When Movement Hurts, we worked through a four-part framework: The first part, Notice, deserves a closer look. A recent study explored how four aspects of body awareness relate to physical activity. The...
Reader, This week, I heard something on the radio that caught my attention. Céline Dion was back on stage. After six years away from full concerts, she returned to Paris this month for a residency—something that, not that long ago, she didn't know would be possible. In 2022, Céline publicly shared that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Her symptoms had affected both her ability to move and the...
Hi Reader, This is an invitation to spend some time with your body. That might sound kind of weird. But think about how much of your day you spend in your head. You’re being strategic at work. Solving problems at home. Thinking about what needs to happen next. Taking care of the things—and often the people—that need your attention. How often do you take the time to notice what your body needs? Maybe there’s some pain or irritation that has been getting your attention. Maybe you’ve been...