Demystifying the Shoulder Joint

The physiotherapist plays a central role in the rehabilitation of all shoulder pathologies. Whether it’s a tendinopathy, bursopathy, labrum tear, or arthritis, the physiotherapist will provide you with the tools to optimize muscular and joint balance so that your shoulder can regain its function without pain.

We can imagine the head of the humerus as a golf ball that articulates with the glenoid of the scapula, acting like a golf tee. We want the golf ball to stay centered on the tee during various shoulder movements. Additionally, the tee is located on a mobile bone called the scapula (or shoulder blade). It is like a raft that moves on the thorax. The muscles that stabilize the scapula on the thorax act as the anchors of the boat.

The physiotherapist will guide you to perform exercises that optimize the stabilizing muscles of the scapula, the anchors of the raft. They will also use various manual techniques to release certain muscles and improve the position of the raft during movements. Moreover, they will provide you with different exercises to enhance the function of the rotator cuff, which are very important muscles for centralizing the humeral head, i.e., keeping the golf ball centered on the tee.

The key to successful rehabilitation of any shoulder pathology is to promote optimal positioning of the scapula, the raft. Additionally, maximizing muscular and joint balance is crucial to keep the golf ball, i.e., the humeral head, centered on the glenoid. By doing so, premature degeneration of certain structures (tendons, cartilage, labrum, etc.) can be prevented, as these structures may be damaged if the positioning of the shoulder joint is less optimal during movements.

This rehabilitation process must be done while respecting the quantification of mechanical stress. It is important to listen to the various symptoms to appropriately dose the exercises and activities, allowing the body to adapt and improve gradually without causing inflammation. Once again, the physiotherapist will be the best coach to guide you in the progression of your exercises, ultimately enabling you to resume your functions without pain. Do not hesitate to consult them.