Folks who use a wheelchair, walker, or crutches rely heavily on their shoulders to help them mobilize and to complete their daily tasks. Oftentimes, the shoulders begin to compensate while taking the brunt of this work which can lead to a lack of strength and mobility, pain, or overuse injuries. 

During this session, Rachel will talk about shoulder anatomy, the importance of proper shoulder alignment, and how shoulder movement actually starts from your back and chest! She will also discuss the rotator cuff, shoulder stability versus shoulder mobility, and how to maintain healthy shoulders. Rachel will then take you through a series of exercises to help stabilize and then mobilize your shoulder. 

Class Prep: The second half of this session will include exercises for your shoulders so feel free to actively participate or observe this section. For those who are participating, it may be helpful to be near a counter/tabletop for you to lean on for some of the exercises. It may also be helpful to have something easy to hold like a small hand-held ball or rolled up pair of socks.