How to fix drooping shoulders: tips and exercises

The mechanism of occurrence of pathology

When one shoulder is lower and the other is higher, this is always associated with curvature of the spine.
This pathology in medicine is called “scoliosis”. According to statistics, it occurs most often in children from 7 to 15 years old. After all, it is at this time that a huge load is placed on the not yet formed spine. The child is forced to sit at the table for a long time. His muscles cannot support the spine and become tired. Because of this, the child involuntarily bends his back, lowering 1 shoulder. Flexibility of the bones and laxity of the ligaments maintain the curvature, so it remains even when moving. This pathology rarely occurs in adults, and even less often they go to the clinic with it. After all, it is difficult to independently control the symmetry of the shoulder girdle, and this condition usually does not cause discomfort. The deformity is detected in an adult with back pain, numbness in the legs or arms, lameness, dizziness and other consequences. In this case, it is almost impossible to correct the situation; you can only stop the progression of the deformity.

Will massage help?

Massage for scoliosis has a predominantly restorative effect and is used in combination with other supportive methods. Massage techniques allow you to work on deep-lying soft tissues, improve the movement of fluids (blood and lymph), and normalize muscle tone. After the massage, the intensity of back pain caused by scoliosis and other musculoskeletal pathologies significantly decreases, and the mobility of the affected segment improves. Unlike other diseases of the musculoskeletal frame, massage for scoliosis has its own characteristics.

1. To achieve a stable result, it is necessary to complete a course of 15-20 procedures (for many other pathologies, 10 procedures are usually sufficient).
2. At an early stage, a restorative and healing massage is used. For scoliosis of 2-3 degrees, differentiated techniques are used (point and segmental reflex effects).
3. When local hypertonic tension of the paravertebral muscles is detected, more than 50% of the time should be devoted to influencing these zones (areas of increased pain).

Massage reduces the intensity of back pain

The right measures

How to correct spinal curvature so that treatment is as effective as possible? To do this, many factors need to be taken into account. Efficiency depends on the degree of curvature itself and the age of the patient. The sooner treatment is started, the better the results will be.

If the doctor has diagnosed the first or second degree of curvature, then conservative treatment is usually used. At this time, you need to monitor the patient's diet. It should be complete and include a large amount of vitamins and minerals. It is especially worth increasing the intake of calcium and phosphorus into the body.

In addition, you should pay attention to the bed. The firmer the mattress, the more beneficial it will be.

It is best to use special orthopedic mattresses, or use hard shields. In this case, the place to sleep must be suitable for height. A bed that is too short leads to poor posture.

Measures to correct the curvature of the spine also include the correct seat at the table. Your back should be absolutely straight and your feet should be firmly touching the floor.

Don’t forget about physical therapy as well. All exercises must be performed under the supervision of a physician in a hospital setting. Each lesson will be aimed at strengthening the core muscles, which are responsible for the correct position of the back. Water exercises and various types of corrective massages are also very effective.

Expert advice

— It is necessary to perform traction exercises on the back, to be more precise, on the latissimus and rhomboid back muscles. I can recommend two effective exercises to solve this problem:

1. Horizontal pull-down from a sitting position , thanks to which the rhomboid muscles of the back are worked, and the posture becomes straighter.
2. Hyperextension . It can be performed on the floor, using a fitball, or on a machine.
3. In addition to exercises, it is necessary to stretch the back muscles, then your posture will gradually return to normal.

Pay attention to your posture in everyday life and try not to slouch.

© Provided by: Woman's Day Horizontal block row, photo: still from the video “Fitness.
Exercises for the back. Lower block row" © Courtesy: Woman's Day Hyperextension, photo: Bojan89 / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images ↓ expand ↓

How it manifests itself

Scoliosis in the initial stages is very difficult to recognize. It usually does not cause any back pain or discomfort at first. But the progression of deformation gradually leads to serious consequences

Therefore, it is very important for parents to pay attention in time to such a sign as asymmetry of the shoulders. In addition, you can notice that the child has one arm shorter than the other, the pelvis is tilted, which is why the hip joints are not in the same line. Asymmetrical placement of the shoulder blades, as well as protruding ribs, can also be symptoms of scoliosis.

Asymmetrical placement of the shoulder blades, as well as protruding ribs, can also be symptoms of scoliosis.

These signs are best seen if you ask the child to lean forward with his arms down. In this case, it will be clearly visible that the spine is curved, and one arm is longer than the other

Asymmetrical placement of the shoulder blades, as well as protruding ribs, can also be symptoms of scoliosis. These signs are best seen if you ask the child to lean forward with his arms down. In this case, it will be clearly visible that the spine is curved, and one arm is longer than the other.

Children usually have no further symptoms, other than increased fatigue. But with such a deformation, adults may experience back pain, weakness in the leg muscles, numbness or tingling of the fingers. Changes in gait and difficulty moving may develop.

What happens to the muscles

When your shoulders are lowered and brought forward, some muscles shorten from constant tension, others, on the contrary, stretch and become weak.

The photo below shows the hard muscles.

Here is a list of weak muscles.

Painful areas

If you feel pain in the areas noted in the photo below, it may be due to rounded shoulders.

How to tell if you have this problem

Two simple tests will help you determine whether you have this postural disorder.

Palm position

Stand up straight, relax your arms. Pay attention to the placement of your palms. If they point back, then you have round shoulders.

Lying down test

Lie on the floor on your back, relax. If your shoulders don't touch the floor, you have round shoulders.

Is it possible to correct scoliosis at home?

Treatment of scoliosis depends on many factors: age, causes of the disease and the degree of its development. It includes, gymnastics,. In more severe cases, elective surgery is necessary.

What will help in the treatment of stage 1 scoliosis?

Particular attention should be paid to strengthening muscles and establishing correct posture. If your child is sick, you can send him to physical education classes

Daily morning exercises, therapeutic exercises, massage are the main therapeutic measures for first-degree scoliosis.

How to correct grade 2 scoliosis?

For the treatment of second-degree scoliosis, as with the first, physical therapy, gymnastics, and massage are prescribed. Also, wearing a special one is added to the basic procedures. It is made individually. The time of wearing the corset is gradually increased from several hours to a day.

What remedies will help cure stage 3 scoliosis?

In this case, wearing a special corset is also prescribed, but it should be worn much longer than with second-degree scoliosis. If the angle of scoliosis is greater than 45 degrees, a stabilizing system is installed on the vertebrae through surgery, which helps straighten the spine.

4th degree scoliosis

For grade 4 scoliosis, surgery is also performed. However, it is associated with a certain risk, and surgery is resorted to only when other methods fail.

Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat - this statement is true for patients with scoliosis. If a person cannot prevent congenital scoliosis, then he can prevent the development of acquired curvature. General preventive measures include: maintaining an active lifestyle, swimming, and daily exercise. It is necessary to sit at the computer as little as possible, and also take regular breaks to charge while working.

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Many parents notice that their child has one shoulder higher than the other. This condition sometimes also occurs in adults. It always indicates a lateral curvature of the spine. Some people think that there is nothing wrong with this, what difference does it make what level the shoulders are at. But in fact, such curvature is a serious pathology and without treatment can lead to dangerous health consequences.

Example program

A lot here depends on what goals you are pursuing.
If you want big shoulders, then the following training plan is suitable: Exercise Number of repetitions
You must understand that good results can be obtained by doing exercises regularly and every other day.

To create a beautiful relief of the body as a whole and an ideal contour with a clear “drawing” of the muscles, the following training plan is suitable:
Exercise Number of repetitions
The number of repetitions is indicated for the entry level. You can gradually increase the load by adding 2-4 sets. In addition, you can include other types of exercises in your shoulder training program, depending on what results you want to achieve.

Men should stick to the given schedule, but girls can halve the load.

To fully understand and understand how to perform the exercises correctly, we suggest you study several videos.

Exercise videos

Description of the pathology

Scoliosis (specialists also often use the term “scoliotic disease”, which refers to severe congenital deformities of the spine with a progressive course) is a vertebral pathology, a lateral or frontal curvature of the spine relative to the midline (central axis). In almost 60% of cases, scoliosis is considered idiopathic, then Yes, it is not possible to find the root cause of its development, although generally accepted risk factors for this pathology are known. Unlike sagittal curvature, which is formed in the corresponding plane (back and forth), with scoliotic deformation, certain segments of the spinal tube deviate away from its central part. The main symptom of scoliosis is the asymmetry of the shoulder girdle: one shoulder is noticeably higher than the other, while the difference between the height of the shoulders in severe forms of scoliotic disease can reach 25-30 cm.

Main signs of scoliosis

Treatment

Most often, conservative therapy to correct spinal deformity is used in children. Treatment methods are selected individually depending on the degree of curvature and the age of the patient. Typically this includes physical therapy, massage, physiotherapy and wearing corsets. Only in serious cases, when the spine is tilted more than 40 degrees, is surgical correction indicated. But according to statistics, such treatment is required only in 1 case out of 1000. For the rest, constant control over posture and muscle strengthening is sufficient. In the early stages of curvature, wearing reclinators or other orthopedic devices to control the position of the shoulders is effective.

It is very important to diagnose the presence of deformity in time and begin treatment

The same methods are prescribed for deformation of the shoulder girdle in adults. Only their effectiveness will be much lower. True, it is much easier for an adult to control the position of the shoulders and correct posture. But due to the fact that at this age the curvature most often develops against the background of other pathologies, specific treatment is also necessarily prescribed, for example, drugs against osteoporosis. Treatment of spinal deformities in adults may take not a year or two, as in childhood, but much longer.

And with scoliosis in children, all responsibility for the result of treatment falls on the parents

Therefore, it is very important to know what you need to do at home in addition to the procedures prescribed by your doctor.

We also recommend reading: Types of spinal curvature

First of all, it is important what the child sleeps on. Up to 15 years, and especially if there is a curvature of the spine, it is recommended to purchase a hard or semi-rigid orthopedic mattress

It will help slow down the progression of the deformity. For school textbooks you need to buy a backpack. After all, carrying a bag on one shoulder often causes it to become lower than the other. To do homework, you need to purchase a table that matches the child’s height and a chair with orthopedic properties. It is important to constantly monitor your posture, especially while doing homework. It is at this time that the child most often lowers or raises one shoulder to compensate for the work of tired muscles. You should regularly perform special exercises prescribed by your doctor. Nutrition should be complete, balanced, and fully meet the nutrient needs of a growing body. You should not look for how to correct the deformity on your own, use traditional methods or visit chiropractors. Only a specialist, after examining and determining the cause of the pathology, can prescribe treatment.

Massage is effective for strengthening the back muscles that support the spine in the correct position

Physiotherapy

Since the most common cause of curvature is weakness of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus, the pathology is treated with special exercises. In addition to them, swimming, skiing, and outdoor games are useful. And you need to do gymnastics every day. Therapeutic exercises can be included in morning exercises or performed during the day. When exercising, you should avoid strong stretching of the back muscles and increased stress on the spine. Each exercise is performed 5-7 times. When working only on one side of the body, be sure to repeat it on the other side.

So, the execution sequence is as follows:

• Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms down. Bend to the side, with one hand sliding down the leg, the other up into the armpit.
• In the same starting position, raise one arm up. Jump your arms back. Change the position of your hands.
• Get on all fours. Raise your right arm and left leg at the same time, stretching your body.
• In the same starting position, move your arms forward with a sliding movement, arching your back, then bring your hands closer to your knees.
• Lying on your stomach, spread your arms to the sides. At the same time, raise your upper body and bend back.
• Do the same by picking up a gymnastic stick and stretching your arms forward.
• Lying on your back, raise your arms above your head. Perform bicycle and scissor exercises.

When one shoulder is higher than the other, it may simply be a poor posture that can be corrected by controlling and strengthening the muscles. But sometimes this condition is a symptom of scoliosis. Pathology should be treated as early as possible, then complications can be avoided and the health of the musculoskeletal system can be maintained.

Corrective gymnastics

Therapeutic exercise (physical therapy) and therapeutic gymnastics (TG) are an obligatory element of a comprehensive program for the treatment of scoliosis both at home and in hospitals of specialized clinics. Exercises are effective only for scoliotic changes of 1-2 degrees (that is, the angle of deflection of the arc should not exceed 25°), and to obtain a stable result they must be combined with general strengthening measures, in particular, air baths, breathing exercises and hardening.

Therapeutic exercises are an essential element in the treatment of scoliosis

Exercise therapy for children 3-10 years old

At this age, the spine is most susceptible to any type of correction, therefore, with minor manifestations of scoliosis, the disease can be corrected only with the help of therapeutic exercises. The following exercises should be performed daily, in the afternoon. It is not recommended to replace morning exercises with them.

1. Approach the wall, taking a physiological position for the anatomically correct position of the spine. To do this, you need to press your heels, buttocks and calves tightly against the wall. Fix in this position for 5 seconds, then take 3-4 steps forward, trying to maintain an even posture. The neck and shoulders should be completely relaxed.
2. Lie down on a hard surface (for example, the floor) so that your body forms a straight line. For 3 counts, slowly raise your head and shoulders from the floor, stay in this position for a few seconds and lower down. Repeat 5-6 times.
3. Slowly raise the straightened leg up and lower it down for 3 counts (the exercises are performed from the “lying on your back” position). Repeat with the other leg, then lift both legs up and return to the starting position. The pelvis should remain on the floor during execution. Perform 7-8 repetitions.
4. This exercise is called “fish”. It is one of the most effective ways to correct scoliotic disease in children of the younger age group and is performed from a lying position. Stretch both arms in front of you and raise them (your arms should be slightly behind your back). Bend your knees and spread them apart, also lifting them up. Stay in this position for 1 minute.
5. Stand straight, feet together, hands on your waist. Raise one leg up, bend at the knee and perform rotating movements that imitate the rotation of pedals. Change the direction of movement every 10-15 seconds. Duration of execution for each leg is about 1 minute.
6. While standing, raise your outstretched arms up (clasp them above your head) and stretch your spine along with your arms. Perform 4-5 repetitions.
7. Get on all fours, straighten one arm and move it to the side. Rotate your body following your hand and return to the starting position. Repeat 7-10 times in each direction.

Visual execution of exercises

Children of this age suffering from scoliosis will also benefit from swimming, skiing, exercises with gymnastic equipment (ball, fitball, ribbon, expander) and wall bars as additional activities.

LH for teenagers 10-15 years old

In adolescence, gymnastics alone may not be enough to correct scoliosis, so often the child is also prescribed auxiliary measures: massage, physiotherapy (to normalize muscle tone), swimming, and the use of orthoses. If a teenager has one shoulder higher than the other, LH should be performed 1-2 times a day, combining exercises with wearing a corset (in the case of progressive scoliosis with an angle of deviation of the arc of more than 20° - a Chenault corset).

1. Place your hands behind your head, clasp your fingers. Raise the straightened leg up straight, sideways and diagonally. Perform 10 swings with each leg.
2. While standing, raise your arm up and behind your head, while tilting your body to the side. The opposite hand should be perpendicular to the floor (it is not allowed to move the hand to the side). During execution, the body must move strictly according to the movement of the hand. Perform 8-12 times in each direction.
3. Place a small bag of salt or sand on your head, keep your chin straight and your neck muscles relaxed. Place your hands on your waist. Walk in this position in a straight line forward and backward, alternately moving your legs to the side. On the side of the scoliotic deviation, hold the leg during abduction for 3-5 seconds. Perform the exercise for 1 minute.
4. Lie on your stomach facing the gymnastics wall. Extend your arms, raise them up and grab the step. Without changing position, lift the straightened legs and move them to the side where the scoliosis is localized (for widespread scoliosis, perform the exercise in both directions). Perform 7-8 repetitions.
5. Lie on the floor and start moving forward, first putting your straightened arms forward, then pulling up your lower body (imitate the movement of a caterpillar). Duration of execution – 1-1.5 minutes.
6. Sit on a chair, raise your arms up. Perform 8 body turns to the right and left and 5-6 side bends.

Useful exercises for scoliosis

Such exercises help stabilize the spine, strengthen the muscle corset, and correct existing chest deformation, which can negatively affect the functioning of the respiratory system and heart. Daily implementation of this complex also has a positive effect on posture, forming a healthy self-esteem in a teenager.

Important! Children with thoracic and thoracolumbar scoliosis are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, so measures to correct the pathology must be taken as early as possible (from the moment of diagnosis). Adults can perform any of the above complexes, gradually increasing the number of approaches and repetitions by 1.5-2 times.

The effectiveness of therapeutic exercises in adults

Conservative therapy for scoliosis in adults is ineffective, since ossification of the spine ends by the age of 22-25. Non-surgical treatment is aimed primarily at reducing pain (taking analgesics and NSAIDs), increasing the flexibility and elasticity of the spine, improving the functioning of internal organs, the functioning of which is directly related to the condition of the spine.

Therapeutic exercises for this category of patients will help strengthen the back muscles, improve blood circulation in the vessels of the spine and surrounding muscle tissues, reduce the intensity of pain, eliminate stiffness in the muscles and joints, and increase the mobility of the spine. Despite this, it is impossible to correct existing deformities with therapeutic exercises in adults, so if one shoulder due to scoliosis is much higher than the other, surgical correction will be required.

Video - Gymnastics for scoliosis

Diagnostics

Before starting therapy for the defect in question, it is necessary to conduct a detailed diagnosis of this disease. After all, absolutely every organism is strictly individual, and all its characteristics must be taken into account during the therapy process. First, the doctor will talk with the patient and carefully find out what and where is bothering him. Then the shoulders and back are examined in a bent and straight position.

The chiropractor pays attention to the asymmetry of the shoulder blades, muscles and spine. The symmetry of the hips and shoulders is checked, the length of the legs is measured

X-rays of the spine are necessarily carried out in two projections: the horizontal and vertical position of the patient’s body is taken into account. Only after a detailed diagnosis do treatment begin.

Steps

Part 1

Posture correction

Strengthen your mid-back.

In order to correct your posture and straighten your shoulders, it is necessary to strengthen the back muscles located between the shoulder blades. These are the paraspinal (located under the spine), rhomboid, trapezius and infraspinatus (located under the shoulder blades) muscles. If these muscles are too weak, the shoulders bend forward and a slouch occurs. If the listed muscles are strong, they support the shoulders in a straightened position, promoting correct posture.

• Rowing machines are great for strengthening the muscles between your shoulder blades. Start with light weights and low reps, gradually increasing the weight and reps over 4-6 weeks of training.
• Reverse flyes with free weights are great for strengthening the rhomboids and trapezius muscles. Sit on the edge of a bench, leaning forward and looking at the floor. Take a dumbbell in each hand and lift them, spreading your arms out to the sides and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Raise your arms so that they are parallel to the floor, hold them in this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower the dumbbells.
• Swimming is another great exercise as it strengthens all muscle groups, especially the shoulders, back and legs. Swimming also helps you regain proper posture because you have to stay upright in the water, arching to keep your head above the surface of the water.

Increase the flexibility of your thoracic spine.

Although this part of the spine bends slightly forward, if it bends too much it will result in a slouched position, which can be accompanied by decreased mobility and pain.
With a constant curvature of the upper spine (so-called kyphosis), the shoulders and neck move forward. In this case, try to give the thoracic spine more
flexibility by straightening both it and your shoulders with the help of exercises.

Stretch your neck and chest muscles. In addition to weak back muscles, too tight chest muscles can also lead to forward curvature of the shoulders.

Oddly enough, this situation is often observed in men who regularly visit the gym and pay great attention to the muscles of the chest and the front of the shoulders to the detriment of the rhomboid (located between the shoulder blades) and posterior shoulder muscles. You should train your pectoral muscles in moderation, making sure that they are sufficiently stretched and flexible. A similar problem also occurs when the muscles at the base of the neck (trapezius and levator muscles) become too tight or strong - in this case, they pull the shoulders forward, leading to slouching.

This problem also occurs when the muscles at the base of the neck (the trapezius and levator muscles) become too tight or strong, causing them to pull the shoulders forward, causing a slouch.

• To stretch your pectoral muscles, stand in a corner or doorway and raise your arm toward the wall to shoulder height. Bend this arm at the elbow, raising your palm up. With your raised hand resting on a wall or door frame, gently stretch your shoulder for 30 seconds. At the same time, turn your head in the opposite direction, increasing the stretch. Then repeat the exercise for the other hand. By doing this exercise 5-10 times a day, you will stretch your pectoral muscles and straighten your shoulders.
• After stretching your neck muscles, stretch them by bending your neck from side to side and trying to reach your corresponding ear to your shoulder. With your neck bent, hold it in this position for 30 seconds. Do this exercise 5-10 times a day. By stretching your neck muscles, you will relax and lower your shoulders a little.

Effective exercises for training

There are various training sets, including both basic and local (isolated) sets of exercises. But let's sort it out in order.

Lifting the weight up (base)

These classes are especially effective and efficient for those who want to increase delt mass. The main load is taken by the anterior and lateral zones of the deltoid muscles. The execution technique includes five main sequential actions:

• sit down on a bench and then put the apparatus on your shoulders (someone should help you with this);
• bring your shoulder blades together and push your chest forward;
• grab the bar wider than your shoulders;
• lift the barbell above your head until your arms are fully extended. Make sure your head is slightly tilted forward. Remember about breathing - you cannot hold it, exhale is always done while straightening your arms;
• the last stage is the slow return of the bar to its original position. Repeat the shoulder exercise for a few more sets.

To reduce pressure on the spine, you should choose a bench with a backrest.

Overhead chest press

It should be done by analogy with the previous option. Please note:

• the bar is placed not behind the head, but on the chest;
• when lowering the sports equipment, it is necessary to move your elbows slightly forward;
• When pressing the barbell up, do not change your body position (do not lean back or bulge forward). Try to keep your body as straight as possible and your arms in the same plane as your body. Remember to breathe correctly - straighten your arms, exhale, and then inhale smoothly. Don't hold your breath.

This type of training shifts the main load to the anterior deltoid muscles.

Chin pull

This basic shoulder exercise is recommended to be performed with dumbbells or a curved EZ bar. This will take the stress off your wrists. Thanks to this, they will take the most natural position.

Technique:

• take a barbell or dumbbells so that the girth is slightly narrower than shoulder width;
• your arms must be slightly bent at the elbows;
• using the shoulder muscles, pull the projectile up almost to the chin (but do not touch it), reducing the tension in the triceps and biceps as much as possible;
• try to ensure that your shoulders are always lower than your forearms. Lower the dumbbells. This must be done a little slower than when lifting. This way you can distribute the load evenly. You should also remember about breathing - at the highest point, exhale, when lowering the projectiles, inhale slowly.

Hands to the side

Above we looked at the base. These workouts should be done with special equipment in the gym. Let's move on to local exercises that can be performed without problems at home with minimal sports equipment.

The first option is to raise your arms to the sides. To perform this, you will need dumbbells of optimal weight.

In this case, we pump the shoulders in the area of ​​the middle delta beams. The technique consists of five main actions:

• stand straight, bend your elbows slightly;
• begin to slowly lift the dumbbells to the sides. Do this until your arms are parallel to the floor;
• fix the position of your hands for a few seconds;
• begin to slowly return the dumbbells to their original position, lowering them.

Important! The arms should be slightly bent at the elbow. The main goal of this exercise is not to raise them as high as possible, but to ensure that the shoulders are perfectly parallel to the floor.

Watch your momentum, do not swing your body, lean back or lean forward.

"Arnold Press"

This is the best shoulder exercise that allows you to fully work out the front deltoids. To do this you will also need a pair of dumbbells of suitable weight. It consists of the following actions:

• take dumbbells, turn your palms towards you;
• now you need to bend your arms at the elbows and, without spreading your palms, press your shoulders to your body;
• after that, start pressing the dumbbells up. Moreover, it is important not to “throw” them out with jerks, but to smoothly lift them, rotating your wrists at a time when the elbow area rises to the level of the chin;
• When you return your hands to their original position, turn your wrists in the opposite direction.

To get started, just do as many repetitions as you have the strength to do. After some time, you can add 3-5 approaches.

Dumbbell Raise

This is an effective way to pump up the front deltoids. Sports equipment is raised in front of you. To do this you need:

• take the starting position standing. In this case, hands with dumbbells are located in front of the thighs;
• make a grip with your palms facing you;
• bend your elbows slightly;
• raise the dumbbells in front of you.

Important! The goal of this exercise is to ensure that the highest point of lifting the dumbbells is reached at the moment when the shoulders are parallel to the floor. You cannot raise your arms suddenly or jerkily. It is forbidden to help with the body - it must be “fixed”.

Seated press

If you do shoulder exercises at the gym, it's a good idea to try the following technique:

• sit on a bench;
• place your hands with dumbbells on your shoulders;
• push your chest forward slightly and bring your shoulder blades together;
• start squeezing the shells with slow movements, lifting them above your head and straightening your arms at the elbows;
• slowly return to the starting position.

How to fix one shoulder higher than the other

In this episode of the TV show “Live Healthy!” with Elena Malysheva you will learn about the treatment of childhood scoliosis. What useful devices are there for nursing mothers? What are the benefits of blueberries? What problems are women embarrassed to talk about?

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Childhood scoliosis does not cause pain in the child, but after a few years it can lead to deformation and displacement of internal organs

Signs of spinal curvature:

- one shoulder girdle is higher than the other;

- the lumbar triangle is absent on one side;

- the angle of one shoulder blade is closer to the spine than the angle of the other;

- when bending forward, one side of the ribs is slightly higher than the other.

What's happening

Scoliosis is dangerous because it does not cause pain. However, after a few years, scoliosis can lead to confusion of internal organs, a change in the curvature of the aortic arch, and this is a prerequisite for hypertension. Also, scoliosis often causes prolapse of the kidney, the ureter becomes tortuous, which threatens urolithiasis. Thus, all the conditions arise for the deformation of internal organs.

How to treat

For timely and correct treatment, at the slightest suspicion of a change in posture, consult a doctor. In the first stages, scoliosis can be corrected with regular exercise and massage procedures.

If scoliosis becomes malignant, progresses, and the angle of curvature becomes more than 30 degrees, the patient is indicated for surgical treatment. With the help of rod or plate structures, the spine straightens and begins to grow correctly.

Prevention

- Take the child to an orthopedic doctor once a year: even if the child does not have symptoms of scoliosis, once a year, starting from the age of 7, you should take the child for examination to an orthopedic traumatologist or a neurologist.

— properly arrange the child’s workplace, for example, use a transforming table. Children grow quickly, so the height of the table must be adjustable. The chair should be curved forward to support the lumbar spine;

— it’s also good to use a transforming chair: its back should move back and forth and up and down, the legs should be bent at a right angle, and the back should fit snugly against the back of the chair.

Orthopedic doctor Alexander Laka takes part in the program

One shoulder is higher than the other: how to fix it

Asymmetrical shoulders are the first sign of scoliosis. This is a serious disease that can manifest itself at a young age in the form of curvature of posture, and at an older age – pain and disruption of the functioning of many organs. Posture problems affect the heart, lungs, and stomach.

It is very difficult to cure scoliosis without the help of specialists. Here you need the help of an osteopath or chiropractor. To correct your posture, you can use a special corset, but it will not correct your shoulders, but will help consolidate the result and “teach” the muscles to keep your back straight.

As children, we all heard from our relatives: “Keep your back straight!” The adults were right, because keeping your back healthy is easier than dealing with spinal problems in adulthood. This instruction must be followed now, which will save you from many troubles.

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine to the right and left of the vertical axis of the body), even with the modern level of medical development, remains a pathology that is most often diagnosed in childhood. A child suffering from this disease is characterized by symptoms, the severity of which depends on the stage and type of curvature of the spinal column. can occur unnoticed, progress slowly, and can clearly manifest only in adulthood, when additional stress appears on the body as a whole

When looking for suitable methods that answer the question - how to correct scoliosis, it is important to remember that the effect of treatment depends on a combination of many factors

It is necessary to determine the cause, provoking factors and the degree of development of the disease, the rate of progression of pathological changes, and only then begin treatment of spinal curvature. To avoid erroneous diagnoses and not worsen your condition, you must consult a specialist before starting treatment.

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Provocateurs of pathology development

There are several main factors that contribute to the development of left-sided scoliosis.

Congenital curvature

The development of curvature in a newborn is associated with abnormal development of the spinal column.

The causes of the disease may be incorrect intrauterine placement of the fetus, the presence of extra vertebrae or ribs in the child. This disease is much less common than acquired disease.

Acquired scoliosis

The spine can be deformed to the left side during a person’s life for a number of reasons:

• regularly sleep on the right side;
• injuries of the spinal column, pelvis or lower extremities with fractures and displacements;
• postpartum pathology in women;
• previous diseases associated with damage to the vertebrae (osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia) in childhood: cerebral palsy, rickets, poliomyelitis;
• constant physical activity on one side of the body or an insufficiently active lifestyle;
• staying in one position for a long time and having a sedentary lifestyle is the main cause of the disease in school-age children, as well as office workers.
• poor nutrition, which affects the formation of bone tissue and ligaments.

Idiopathic scoliosis is considered the most common form of the disease. This term is usually used in cases where the true cause of the disease cannot be determined.

Very often, the development of this type of scoliosis is associated with a period of active skeletal development in schoolchildren.

The mechanism of pathology development

A change in the line of the shoulders most often results from scoliosis of the thoracic region, which in the first degree the patient may not notice. Most often, the pathology occurs in children aged 7 to 15 years, but can also be observed in adults.

The development of scoliosis occurs according to the following scheme: deformation of the intervertebral discs - deformation of the vertebrae - deformation of the growth zones of the vertebrae - disruption of the basic functions of the spine - curvature of the spine.

The difference between scoliosis and other postural disorders is that in the second case, only muscle tone is observed on one side of the spine, and with scoliosis, changes already affect the ligaments and bones of the spinal column.

Visually, by the nature of the changes, both pathologies can be distinguished: if a person, having assumed a supine position (on his stomach), is able to ensure that the spine assumes a normal (not curved) state, then we are talking about a violation of posture. Otherwise, scoliosis can be assumed.

Test for correct posture

Correct posture can be checked as follows:

• you need to measure with a centimeter the distance from the seventh (most protruding) cervical vertebra to the lower corner of the left and then the right shoulder blade. During the measurement, you should stand in a relaxed position. With normal posture, these distances are equal.
• Posture can be checked using the so-called shoulder index. Measure the width of your shoulders from the chest, then from the back (shoulder arch). Find the shoulder index using the formula: shoulder arc 100%. If the shoulder index is 90-100%, the posture is correct.

You should correct your posture at least 3 times a day

Slouched shoulders and poor posture have unpleasant consequences

In addition to the fact that poor posture looks unattractive, ignoring the correct body position while sitting and walking can cause a host of physical discomforts, which include:

• weakness and atrophy of certain muscles;
• constant headaches;
• fatigue due to impaired blood flow;
• back pain;
• pinched nerves;
• breathing disorders.

To prevent or eliminate the appearance of slouch in the shoulders, you need to learn how to relax overstrained muscles and strengthen weakened ones. To do this, try the exercises described below.

1. Stretch with belt

Pick up a belt, jump rope, or similar object. Stand straight, take the belt in both hands and straighten them at shoulder height (palms facing down).

Spread your arms slightly wider than your shoulders and, while inhaling, lift the belt above your head. As you exhale, bend your arms so that your elbows are approximately at shoulder level, bringing your shoulder blades together.

The belt should be behind your head. Inhale and raise your arms straight up again; exhale and straighten your arms in front of you at shoulder level. Repeat 3-5 times.

1. Hands behind your back

Stand or sit straight, lower your shoulder blades down. Place both hands behind your back and grab your right elbow with your left hand and your left elbow with your right.

If you can't grab your elbows, try grabbing your forearms or wrists. Lift your chest and lower your shoulder blades down, as if pressing them into your spine. Take 3-5 deep breaths, switch hands and repeat the exercise.

1. Reduction of the shoulder blades

This movement helps strengthen the muscles that hold the shoulder blades in the correct position. Execution: Sit up straight and bring both shoulder blades together, as if trying to hold a pencil between them.

Hold your shoulder blades in this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Try to do the exercise 3-4 times a day.

1. Chest muscle massage

This procedure will relieve tension from the chest muscles. Execution: Take a tennis ball and place it between your shoulder and collarbone. Rest your body against the corner of the wall, gently pressing the ball into the wall, thus massaging the muscles.

If you find a painful point during the massage, continue to press on it (but not too hard) until the pain disappears.

1. "Opening" of the chest

This exercise is good to perform in the morning or before bed to straighten your back, “open” your chest and relax your pectoral muscles.

Execution: Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and your knees bent. Stretch your arms out to the sides, palms up, so that your body resembles the letter T.

For maximum relaxation, place a rolled towel (along the length of the entire spine). If you are using a towel, make sure your buttocks and head are on the roll. Do this stretching for 10 minutes a day.

1. "Angels" on the wall

This exercise helps strengthen the muscles responsible for maintaining proper shoulder position. Therefore, if you have hunched shoulders, perform this exercise several times a day: stand with your back pressed against the wall, arms extended to the sides.

Then bend your elbows and rotate them so that the back of your hand touches the wall directly above your elbows.

Slowly raise your hands up, place them behind your head, while trying not to lift the back of your hand and elbows from the wall. Slowly raise and lower your arms 10 times, as if you were drawing an angel in the snow.

Slouched (or rounded) shoulders are a fairly common type of posture disorder in our time, which is not only unaesthetic, but can also lead to pain. To avoid such troubles, the site recommends doing the simple exercises described above daily.

Useful habits

The secret to straightening your shoulders and taking care of your back health lies not only in exercise, but also in developing healthy habits.

For example, take frequent breaks from sedentary work and move more—even if that means walking a couple of floors instead of using the elevator. A little office trick helps many people - placing the printer away from the desktop. So every time you need to print a document, you will be forced to walk a little.

Don't forget that your shoulders are not earrings, so don't let your neck constantly bend and your shoulders rise towards your ears.

Preventive measures

Prevention of scoliosis must begin from an early age - literally from the neonatal period. Starting from two weeks of age (unless otherwise recommended by a pediatrician or visiting nurse), the child needs to regularly massage the back and limbs, carry out hardening procedures, and perform special gymnastics. Therapeutic and health-improving gymnastics should be carried out daily in older children, and a set of exercises should be selected taking into account age and clinical recommendations.

When the child begins to take his first steps, preventive shoes with an anatomical insole, arch support and a hard heel should be used. All sleeping accessories (mattress, pillow according to age) must also have an anatomical shape and be made of high-quality and natural materials.

On the street, it is important to organize an active pastime for the child: sliding down slides, climbing ropes and special structures like labyrinths (“cobwebs”), hanging on a horizontal bar. At home, you should also ensure that your child’s activity level is appropriate for his age.

There is no need to allow your child to sit at the table or lie on the sofa for a long time: prolonged stay in a stationary position increases the risk of scoliosis and negatively affects the tone of all muscle groups.

Specific prevention of scoliosis in school-age children consists of the following measures:

teaching the child the rules of sitting at the table and explaining the importance of regular breaks between classes (it’s a good idea to teach the child that during a break he should warm up a little, and not sit at his desk the entire break); correct selection of furniture for home activities (taking into account the child’s height and build); use of orthopedic backpacks and backpacks with a hard back (it is unacceptable to use bags or backpacks that are worn on one shoulder when going to school). Teenage girls need to be told about the dangers of wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time: the maximum heel height for this age is 4-5 cm (not for constant wear)

Teenage girls need to be told about the dangers of wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time: the maximum heel height for this age is 4-5 cm (not for constant wearing).

Prevention

To prevent differences in shoulder level, it is necessary to monitor the posture of children from an early age.
First of all, it is necessary to properly organize a place to sleep, choosing a hard mattress and an orthopedic pillow, and also properly prepare a place for the child to study. The table must match the height of the child and match the height of the chair.

For school, you need to purchase a backpack with wide straps and an orthopedic back so that while carrying notebooks and textbooks there is no overload and curvature of the back.

The daily diet should include a set of products that will ensure that the body is fully saturated with vitamins and minerals.

If any abnormalities or suspicions of congenital pathologies of the structure of the spine appear, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Causes

Most often, the shoulder girdle suffers with the development of scoliosis - curvature of the spine relative to the vertical axis. In addition to internal changes and disturbances, visual deformation also occurs - one shoulder becomes higher than the other.

Deformation of the spine and changes in the shoulder girdle occur due to the progression of scoliosis, which can be of two types:

• congenital - develops as a result of disorders during the formation of the fetus. In most cases, the reason lies in genetic abnormalities and the influence of external factors, which entail, for example, fusion of the ribs and other problems during the formation of the spine;
• acquired - develops between the ages of 5 and 16 years with intensive formation and development of the skeleton. Girls are most susceptible to pathological changes.

In this case, pathological curvature of the spine can be divided into the following types:

• s-shaped scoliosis - the curvature affects three main parts of the spine - cervical, thoracic and lumbar;
• z-shaped scoliosis – disturbances are observed in one or two sections, the curvature is directed in opposite directions;
• C-shaped scoliosis - the curvature of the spine is clearly expressed in one direction, resembling the letter C in shape.

Thus, if the right shoulder is higher or lower than the left, what kind of pathology is this is a fairly clear question. We are talking about curvature of the spinal column, which entails deformation of other parts of the body.

But it is worth knowing that the development of scoliosis does not occur instantly, that is, with timely diagnosis and treatment, such disorders can be avoided. There are four degrees of scoliosis:

1. The first degree is characterized by a barely noticeable stoop, the shoulders are at the same level. Most often, people whose work involves a computer and a regular sedentary lifestyle suffer.
2. The second degree is characterized by back pain, clearly visible asymmetry of the shoulder blades, and a noticeable change in the shoulder girdle. This degree is the most common.
3. The third degree is accompanied by sharp and severe pain in the back, disturbance not only in the shoulder area, but also possible deformation of the sternum with protrusion of the ribs.
4. The fourth degree is marked by the formation of a hump with a pronounced deformation of the back. The ribs may change their position, sink in or protrude outward. This stage affects the functioning of internal organs and the body as a whole.

Moreover, spinal deformation can be caused not only by congenital developmental pathologies, but also by external influences and various diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Among the most common causes of deformation are:

• osteochondrosis;
• rickets;
• intervertebral hernia;
• curvature of the neck;
• violation of back muscle tone;
• muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders.

Scoliosis signs and diagnosis

Children's scoliosis, which is in the initial stage, is not so easy to identify, since it does not bother children at all, and the curvature is almost invisible. However, it is still possible to do this. To assess the child’s condition, ask him to undress, stand up straight and lower his arms along his body. Then carefully inspect it from all sides. Signs of scoliosis in this position may be as follows:

• skewed shoulders, when one shoulder is slightly higher than the other;
• one of the hips or shoulder blades is higher than the other;
• one arm looks longer than the other;
• unequal distance between the waist and lowered arms;
• asymmetry in the location of the nipples;
• protruding angle of one blade.

Then ask the child, without bending his legs, to lean forward and lower his arms freely, then carefully examine him again

Pay attention to how symmetrical the height of the shoulder blades, subgluteal folds, iliac bones, and shoulder girdles is, whether it holds the neck straight, and whether the distances between the body and the lowered arms are the same. If you notice at least one of the above signs, be sure to consult an orthopedist or pediatrician. The doctor will assess the child’s condition and, if necessary, prescribe an x-ray, which will accurately determine the presence and degree of curvature.

The doctor will assess the child’s condition and, if necessary, prescribe an x-ray, which will accurately determine the presence and degree of curvature.

Self-diagnosis

If you haven't been paying attention to your posture, chances are you don't realize how much misalignment there may be in your body.
If you're not sure whether your posture is okay or needs some work, do a self-test. Wear tight-fitting clothing so you can clearly see the location of all body parts. Stand barefoot on the floor, straighten your back, but do not deliberately try to get into a position that you think is correct. To get a reliable result, close your eyes and take a few steps in place. This will allow your legs to take a natural position. Stop and stand straight. Now ask a friend to take a photo of you from the front, side and back.

This is what correct posture should look like:

Pay attention to how individual body parts and joints are located. The ears are in front of the shoulders, the ribs are in front of the pelvis, and the hip joints are in front of the heels.

Pelvis and spine in a neutral position. If your body looks like this, you're doing great!