When people hire me to help them with their shoulder pain, they also ask if I can help them “straighten up” after we resolve the shoulder issue. Parkinson’s stooped posture and frozen shoulder or pain may seem like two different problems, but usually it is a cause-and-effect scenario. Poor posture leads to shoulder problems.
If you have a stooped posture, your shoulder blades can’t sit or glide normally on the ribs. Your chest muscles become tight and pull the shoulders and arm forward, creating shoulder pain and complications with the rotator cuff muscles. This “Open a Book” exercise on the foam roller with the added resistance band will help correct your posture by strengthening shoulder placement and the surrounding muscles.
Watch my video below to learn how this simple exercise can help improve your Parkinson’s stooped posture.
Here are the instructions for the “Open a Book” exercise with a resistance band on a foam roller:
- Start by lying face up on the foam roller so it is aligned with your spine. Be sure that both your head and tailbone are supported fully.
- If your head is tilting backward to reach the roller, support your head with a pillow. Pretend to hold a softball under your chin.
- Bend your knees and relax your back and shoulders on the roller.
- Once you’re balanced and comfortable, slowly outstretch your arms to the side. If you feel any discomfort or pain, only go as far as your body will let you.
- With your elbows bent at 90 degrees and resting on the sides of your rib cage, grab the band in each hand, with your palms facing your head and thumbs pointed outward.
- With your next exhale, slowly move your hands apart as if to “Open the Book.” Keep your elbows on your ribs throughout this exercise. You should feel your shoulder blades glide together.
- Hold for a few seconds, then bring your hands together as if to “Close the Book.”
- You can also do this exercise seated with a half roller behind your back.
- Repeat 10-20 times.
You can do this daily with your other foam roller exercises. Check out the other videos in my foam roller exercise series below:
- Try This Easy Way To Get On a Foam Roller if You Have Parkinson’s
- Do This Shoulder Blade Protraction-Retraction Exercise To Improve Parkinson’s Stooped Posture
- Do This Scissor Exercise To Improve Parkinson’s Stooped Posture and Back Pain
- If You Want to Correct Parkinson’s Stooped Posture, Open the Newspaper!
- Use a Resistance Band to Correct Parkinson’s Stooped Posture
- Improve Your Parkinson’s Stooped Posture by Opening a Book
💜 Coach Kimberly
Now in Session: Rebel Fit Club’s Posture School!
Coach Kimberly instructs this five-week exercise series to address one of the most problematic symptoms of Parkinson’s: stooped posture, which causes falls, pain, and crowds your breathing and digestion. You will learn lifelong exercises that you can do every day to prevent or treat poor posture. This course is offered both virtually and in person. We also offer an in-person, seated version of this class for our fighters who can’t exercise on the floor. If you want to feel stronger, sit and stand straighter, and move better, contact Kimberly today to get on the list for our next session!
Ready to take back your fight?
Contact me to get started in Kimberly Berg’s Rebel Fit Club Parkinson’s Boxing classes today. We have online workouts, too!
Subscribe now to get more tips and exercises for Parkinson’s delivered right to your inbox!