Help with shoulders back (with no pain)

[faluut42]

I just started back riding again and I hunch when i ride. I try and bring my shoulders back but i get a sharp pain in my muscles (like they are being streched too far) and they are tight. I am going to go to the chiro and see whats up but thought i might go here and see if anyone here as any ideas of streches to help limber me up and loosen my shoulders.

I have had multiple falls and have wanky shoulders so i am not suprised i am having trouble with this. Has anyone else had this kind of trouble? How did you make it better?

[HiddenAcres]

try a different image

Getting back to riding is always harder than you think it will be - unless you lived at the gym.

Instead of trying to put your shoulders back, try lifting your ribcage up, over your pelvis. Creates lung room, and uses your core more than/as much as your spine. Then also remember ears over shoulders/ looking through horsies ears, shoulders over hips. Not sure why, but these movements produce the right results for me, and are much more comfortable than “shoulders back”. Also - aspirin before and after you ride.

[Invite]

When riding in an improper (for me) saddle or on a really downhill horse, I tend to hunch my shoulders. I think the saddle can make a big difference.
I actually bought a shoulders back and tried wearing it whenever I wasn’t sleeping! It didn’t help.
I have a lot of back pain and swimming and pool exercises seem to be helping. I have had several bad accidents, but if a everything is in the right place, my shoulders follow and go where they should without back pain.

This probably wasn’t much help, but good luck

[Wayside]

I struggle with the shoulder issue as well. Absolutely talk to a doctor/chiro/PT about it, and see if they have any exercises that can help you.

For me, sitting in the right position is actually painful, since I have to work and stretch a different set of muscles. So I do a lot of exercises where I get into that position, and back out, and it’s gradually getting easier and easier to maintain for longer periods. But you have my sympathy, since it is slooow and uncomfortable.

[Foxtrot_s]

There is a garment called a “shoulders back” which is like a major bra with velcro straps that is worn over a t-shirt. It can be adjusted. If worn too long or too tight can cause worse pain and cramping!!! but my daughter who is an athlete (as well as a rider) uses it not just for riding and says it changed her life. She even sleeps better. I tried it but found it a bit restricting for my too far gone body. That or I lack dedication. It is not something you go into full force. Bit by bit.

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=faluut42;4483937]
I just started back riding again and I hunch when i ride. I try and bring my shoulders back but i get a sharp pain in my muscles (like they are being streched too far) and they are tight. I am going to go to the chiro and see whats up but thought i might go here and see if anyone here as any ideas of streches to help limber me up and loosen my shoulders.

I have had multiple falls and have wanky shoulders so i am not suprised i am having trouble with this. Has anyone else had this kind of trouble? How did you make it better?[/QUOTE]

try thrusting your bust - iie stick the boobs out and sit up striaght dont hunch over the horse ok
as leaning forwards or tilting is putting and surporting the your body weight into the bridle area
and or if leaning then a- the floor will say hello a lot quicker also your asking without knowing asking for the horse to go- but when ones hunching over they imedately hang on the bridle and ask for stop so its confusing the horse as well in turn the horse might end up pulling which therefore effects you schoulders and back
also if you drop your schoulders then the horse does to which means bye bye horsey hello floor
position position read my helpful links pages and set your stirrups to the correct lenght
this will help your overall position with the horse so youare working lighter and therefore the horse is challenging you by advading you and pulling you out of your seat
read all links on page 1

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178116

[faluut42]

[QUOTE=Wayside;4487362]
I struggle with the shoulder issue as well. Absolutely talk to a doctor/chiro/PT about it, and see if they have any exercises that can help you.

For me, sitting in the right position is actually painful, since I have to work and stretch a different set of muscles. So I do a lot of exercises where I get into that position, and back out, and it’s gradually getting easier and easier to maintain for longer periods. But you have my sympathy, since it is slooow and uncomfortable.[/QUOTE]

exactly the same for me. Sitting in the right position is painful. And I am not strong enough in my core yet to hold my shoulders back without resembling something of a rag doll.

[Couture_TB]

I went to PT for neck and shoulder issues, and now I do not hunch when I ride. I do my stretches every day (if I remember) and also use the rubber band stretch. Here are some videos of the stretches that helped me the most
http://www.ehow.com/video_2259478_ear-shoulder-exercise-neck-physical.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2259479_upper-shoulder-upper-neck-exercise.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2259480_45-degree-angle-stretch-neck.html

ETA: I tried the shoulders back. It was very uncomfortable almost painful for me. I don’t know if it is my build, but it cut into my armpits no matter how I adjusted it.

[x-rab]

Try This

you don’t want to put your shoulders back, you want them to be neutral. As you are either sitting or standing, pick your shoulders up and rotate them backwards and drop them. You should be in a neutral position with the point of your shoulder lined up with the middle of your ear. If your shoulders are hunched, it compresses you rib cage. This position is used a lot by women who are well endowed to hide their bust and actually tend to accentuate the bust (those forward arms tend to push things together and out). A neutral shoulder minamizes the bust. If your shoulders are forced back, then the bust sticks out.

From my old deportment classes, you should be able to drop a plumb line from the middle of your ear and have everything there down line up with that line to the middle of your arches. That means gut sucked in and bottom tucked under too.

The shoulder’s back gimic tends to put your shoulders too far back and throws your balance too far back also. You can breathe and you can’t move correctly.