When it comes to treating shoulder issues, there’s a lot of moving parts that you have to address. Most clinician will look at the glenohumeral joint (“ball and socket”) only. Educated providers will venture more into the scapulothoracic joint (“shoulder blade”). Still more seasoned manual therapists will actually focus on the thoracic spine (“mid back”) as a source of shoulder issues. If you’ve only looked at one or two of these areas in the past, then it’s time to expand your treatment mindset and highly consider further investigation into all three of these areas.
With that in mind, below are 3 Controlled Articular Rotations (aka. CARs) videos that I think are essential to assessing the necessary movement inventory, improving shoulder health, and minimizing risk for injuries.
If you’re unfamiliar with CARs, please check out this documented digest, as it shares information on what they are and how they work.
#1 THORACOLUMBAR SPINE CARs
#2 SCAPULOTHORACIC CARs
#1 GLENOHUMERAL CARs
Side note: Resolving shoulder complaints may not only take careful assessment of the glenohumeral, scapulothoracic, and thoracic joints, but may also need attention towards the cervical spine, acromioclavicular, and sternoclavicular joints.
Thanks for being curious and taking the time to read this! Hope it added value to your life and equips you to become better than you were yesterday!
Dr. Joe Jaime, DC, DACBSP®, ATC, CSCS®, FRC®ms, CES