The document summarizes a shoulder workshop presented by Pure Physio and Brunswick East Crossfit. The workshop covered shoulder anatomy, common shoulder issues for Crossfit athletes, and exercises to address mobility, stability, and movement integration issues. It discussed how poor posture from sitting can impact the shoulders and performance. Attendees learned mobility drills and exercises for the trunk, chest, and neck. Stability exercises targeted the rotator cuffs, shoulder blades, and core. Integrating stability and mobility movements into Crossfit was also covered, along with applying the techniques to daily activities and seeking help from coaches.

1. PURE PHYSIO AND BRUNSWICK EAST
CROSSFIT PRESENT
THE “SHOULDER WORKSHOP”
3rd September 2014

2. “δῶς μοι πᾶ στῶ καὶ τὰν γᾶν κινάσω”
“Give me a firm spot on which to stand,
and I shall move the Earth”
(Archimedes)

3. OVERVIEW
• Anatomy of the Shoulder
• Posture/Lifestyle
• Common problem areas involving the
shoulder in CrossFit
• How/why you get injured or lack
optimal performance because of issues
with:
• Mobility
• Stability
• Integrating movement

4. SHOULDER ANATOMY
The shoulder complex consists of three
bones:
1) Shoulder blade
2) Arm bone (humerus)
3) Collar bone

6. • The shoulder attaches to the trunk
through muscle and connective tissue….
Therefore the postural position of the
spine has a huge influence on shoulder
positioning and function

8. POSTURE
Our posture is important to consider during
our daily activity……
And during our sport & leisure time as well

9. Consider this….
8-9 hours sitting at desk 5 days/week
vs
1 hour of CrossFit 3 x/week!

10. COMMON COMPLAINTS
• Pain!!
– Front, Back, Neck, ‘inside the joint’, Armpit
area/under, referral into upper arm, sore
elbows/wrists
• Unable to lock out the arms in an overhead position
• Unable to perform overhead sit ups or overhead
squats without losing neutral trunk positioning
• Excessive arching of the back when going into the
overhead position (lack of shoulder range)

11. • Unable to get a good rack position and also to
keep this rack position at the bottom of a squat
• Excessive internal rotation of shoulders and
rounding of the back (Oly lifting, Deadlifts)
• Unable to keep ‘active shoulders’ during pulls
ups, toes to bar (hanging off rig)

12. POOR POSTURE & POOR SHOULDER
POSITIONING- “MOBILITY” ISSUES
Increased tightness of:
• Chest and Neck muscles, connective tissue/fascia
• Joints of the spine – especially the lower cervical spine and thoracic
• Shoulder joint
• Neural tissue/nerves:
– Stiffness or irritation of the nerve roots will alter nerve firing
times and therefore alter muscle activation/timing.
– Nerve root irritation or stretch/tension can cause pain, P&N,
numb, weakness.
* 8% stretch = tension/tightness
*12% stretch = symptoms (pain, pins and needles and
weakness)

13. The resting positions that you spend the most time
in during the day can affect how you perform in
CrossFit……

14. MOBILITY DRILLS/EXERCISES

17. POOR POSTURE & SHOULDER POSITIONING-
“STABILITY” ISSUES
Weakness or poor activation of:
• Rotator Cuff Muscles “Ball and Socket
centering”
• The shoulder blade stabilisers and
core/trunk muscles “The Base”
• Deep neck stabilising muscles

19. STABILITY DRILLS/EXERCISES

22. INTERGRATING STABILITY AND MOBILITY INTO
CROSSFIT
• Upper limb “Dissociation”
– Programming correct sequencing of movement
vs “all or nothing” movement patterns
• Rotator Cuff muscle activation
– pre activity/pre WOD
– Actually helps to improve range of movement as
you are moving in a more structurally centered
position when cuff is turned on

23. Trunk stability
Shoulder
blade stability
Rotator Cuff

25. SUMMARY
MOBILITY- DAILY ROUTINE
• Trunk Mobility & Flexibility exercises
• Chest/anterior stretching & flexibility and
release work
STABILITY
• Trunk Posture & Stability muscle retraining!
• Shoulder blade re-education
• Deep Neck Flexor retraining
• Rotator Cuff Activation & Strengthening

26. INTERGRATION OF MOVEMENT
• Upper limb “Dissociation”
• Integrating Rotator Cuff muscle activation into
fundamental CrossFit movements
• Combining Trunk stability + Shoulder blade
stability + Rotator Cuff Function into daily
activity as well as CrossFit
• Let the Coach coach you!

28. REHAB/PREHAB
By permission, thanks Matt McInnes from CFU!

29. QUESTIONS??

30. Jac jacindagruebner@purephysio.com.au
Roy roydookia@purephysio.com.au
Claire claire@brunswickeastcrossfit.com