Done correctly, yoga poses strengthen the shoulders. However, the shoulders have to be strong to perform the poses correctly and maintain proper alignment. For example, in Plank Pose, if your shoulders are not strong enough to hold a proper position, you are more susceptible to injury. In this pose, you are either on all fours or in a push-up position. If your chest collapses in Plank Pose, the heads of your humerus drop toward the floor. Your shoulder blades then slide out instead of lying flat against your back. If you do not set yourself in the correct alignment in this pose, the front of your shoulders will be sore the next day. This can strain the front of the rotator cuff and build strength unequally, making the front of the rotator cuff stronger than the rear. Yoga is a great way to build shoulder strength if done in the correct way. Yoga for Massage Therapists is a great resource for Therapists to learn Anatomy of Movement and injury prevention.
Plank Pose to Chataranga
Namaste,
Karina
