- Bob and Brad; the two most famous
physical therapists on the internet.
- Hi, I'm Bob Schrupp, physical therapist.
- Brad Heineck, physical therapist.
- Together, we are the most famous
physical therapists on the internet;
- In our opinion, of course.
- Making a point. Today, Brad, we're gonna talk
about three exercises you can do.
Exercises and stretches for shoulder bursitis.
- Right.
- Now, bursa is a fluid-filled sack,
kind of an oily sack that lies on top of your tendon,
between the tendons and the bones.
- Right.
- Help 'em glide along.
- Right? You have 'em in your shoulder, in your knees,
in your hips, they're all over the body, you know
particularly where there's joints usually.
- And usually what causes bursitis is almost
kind of a pinching here or
not enough movement or area available.
- Right?
- So we're trying to open this area up
is what we're trying to do with these exercises.
- Right. So there's less pressure
and irritation to the bursa,
- Right. One of the problems that a lot
of people have are rounded shoulders.
If your shoulders are rounded,
if you stand just naturally like this,
I know you'll probably cut my head off right now.
- That's all right. Better off.
- You watch you watch my thumbs.
If I turn, if I put poor posture
and my shoulders are rounded, you see how
the thumbs are pointed toward each other.
Now, if I sit up and stand up straight,
and put my shoulders back,
now the thumbs are pointed forward.
- And also, you know, if we're looking in the shoulder
that's increasing the gap between
the chromium bone and the humeral head.
- Yeah.
- And that's where the bursa is.
We're gonna open that gap up to keep the pressure.
- Yeah. This opens it up. So that's what leads us
to the first exercise here,
which are shoulder squeezes, okay?
- Right.
- So, you're actually squeezing
your shoulder blades together.
Brad, you wanna show on me?
- Yeah. You got his shoulders. Look at that.
Okay. Here's this shoulder blades.
I'm gonna hold them right there. Go ahead.
See how much they go together and think about,
Bob, I want you to think about
pulling 'em together and down this direction.
Like you're gonna put your shoulder blades
into your pockets right there.
- Pockets
- So over and down, - Squeeze, squeeze.
- You're not going to get actual much motion there
but the muscles that pull in that
direction are what we're looking for.
Those lower traps. Right?
- What's nice about this one, Brad
you can do this anywhere, anytime, throughout the day.
- You bet.
- You can do this every hour. - Right.
- And you're gonna be surprised
at what a difference that makes.
- Yep.
- I started having shoulder problems.
I was like, well, I gotta listen to myself.
And what would I suggest?
And well, I started doing the shoulder squeezes
- Sure, practice what you preach.
- Yep, exactly.
So that one is, you can do it, you know
10 to 12 repetitions every hour, if you want.
- Sure.
- At least a couple times a day.
The second one is a technique to help the humoral
head really set down in the socket.
So what you're gonna do
- Which is gonna open that gap up,
open that gap up again.
- You find a countertop; Lonnie you on me?
You're gonna put your hand down here on the countertop
especially the shoulder that you're having trouble with.
And I'm gonna push down
on the shoulder, or down on the countertop.
- The direction is like, if the countertop wasn't there,
his arm would just go straight through.
- Right. So I'm pushing down and while I'm pushing down,
I'm walking away, I'm walking away.
I'm increasing my range here, but I'm
the shoulder is getting pushed down into the socket
and creating more space.
- And only do this one if it's pain free
or feels better, if, it may not have the right mechanics
for the individual who, we don't know for sure.
And if it is painful, you don't do it.
- And you'd only go up to the point of pain.
- That's another good point, Bob.
- I, for most people, I find this does not hurt them.
- Yep.
- Most people like it, but I find
that some people can only go this far.
You know, they keep working that range
for a while and then eventually they can go further.
- Sure. Yep.
- All right. So that one you can do a couple times a day.
Again, a good five, 10 repetitions.
- Sure.
- I'm sitting on a weight, Brad.
- Oh, be careful Bob.
- All right. Then we thought we'd throw
in one strengthening exercise here.
We're gonna strengthen some
of those muscles that help pull the shoulder
into the socket better
and also keep it back externally rotated.
- So this is a good general stabilization thing.
- Yeah. Now you can do it with thera-band.
We've done it on set
but I'm gonna show you how to do it at home.
What you can do is take a milk jug and take out the milk.
- Drink it.
- And probably fill it up quarter full to start off with.
- Right.
- And we're gonna do what we call "outies" here.
So you're gonna lay on your side.
I gotta watch my mic here.
- If you happen to have dumbbells,
feel free. You don't have to,
- I'm gonna do it with a dumbbell today
but this could be, just as easily,
the jug of milk or water.
- Right. - About a quarter inch,
- Right. - I mean a quarter full.
- Just do the exercise. They'll get it.
- All right. So you're gonna start off with this,
And sometimes they even put a towel
underneath your arm there.
- Sure. Yep.
- And, you wanna grab that? And you can start off,
Thank you. So you're gonna start off
you can even go up to this range here,
Brad, if you, if you want.
So these are called "outies".
It's working those external rotators and, believe it or not,
you do not need much weight to, to work these.
- Right? Exactly.
- This isn't something you're gonna wanna bulk
up and hit 20 pounds even.
- As a matter of fact, I'll have people even
just take a can of soup, a 12 ounce or 16 ounce can of soup.
'Cause most people have that in their cupboard,
and that'll be enough.
- I'm surprised at this, Brad, and I lift weights;
This is fatiguing my arm right now.
And this is three pounds.
- Well of course Bob.
- Oh, he's trying to imply something here.
So I'd say 10 to 15 reps.
- Yep. That's true, I don't like to
go more than 15 if, if it's too easy at 15,
- I'm a little bit shocked, you how,
much this is already burning, Brad.
I'm already, I probably need to do more of these.
- Yes. I think you do Bob,
- I do it with thera-band.
Maybe I need to do it with a weight.
So great exercise to do. Help hold that, again, bone down.
- Yeah. Seriously. These are all
bonafide exercises that we use
in the therapy clinic every day.
- Yep. All right.
- Thanks for watching. Bursitis go away!
- Bursitis go away?
- (laughs) We need a speech therapist.