Fix My Shoulder

A Guide to Preventing and Healing from Injury and Strain

George Demirakos

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It enjoys an amazing range of motion; it can rotate 360 degrees and can extend upward, sideways, across the body, outward, inward, every which way. That makes it the most useful joint we have, and, not surprisingly, we use it the most. Lifting, pushing, pulling, throwing, catching, hugging: the shoulder experiences more motion than any other joint. So it is perhaps not surprising that, sooner or later, it becomes overtaxed—fatigued. After all, as with anything, if you keep applying the same pressure over and over, the strength and stability of the structure being pressured will wear down. That’s what happens to the shoulder, and when it does, it’s not only painful; it can also stop you in your tracks, limiting your ability to do even simple things you’re used to doing.

The truth is that if you’ve never felt any kind of shoulder pain whatsoever, the chances are good that as you grow older, you will. Our bodies tend to lose muscle and bone mass as we age, and we become more susceptible to the aches and pains that may result.

But neither the weakness nor the pain is inevitable. The shoulder can be fixed, and the pain can go away. First, there’s a fix that cures the weakness and ends the pain. But there are also things you can do to prevent injury or strain in the first place, so that you never have to lose the strength, stability, and range of motion of the shoulder at all. Fix My Shoulder explores the anatomy and function of the shoulder, methods of preventing pain and injury, and treatments for healing that anyone can implement for better shoulder health and function.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 184 • Trim: 5 x 8¼

978-1-4422-7585-0 • Paperback • November 2016 • $34.00 • (£25.00)

978-1-4422-3338-6 • eBook • October 2014 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Subjects: Health & Fitness / Healing, Health & Fitness / Pain Management, Medical / Orthopedics, Medical / Sports Medicine

Fix My Shoulder

A Guide to Preventing and Healing from Injury and Strain

Paperback

eBook

Summary

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It enjoys an amazing range of motion; it can rotate 360 degrees and can extend upward, sideways, across the body, outward, inward, every which way. That makes it the most useful joint we have, and, not surprisingly, we use it the most. Lifting, pushing, pulling, throwing, catching, hugging: the shoulder experiences more motion than any other joint. So it is perhaps not surprising that, sooner or later, it becomes overtaxed—fatigued. After all, as with anything, if you keep applying the same pressure over and over, the strength and stability of the structure being pressured will wear down. That’s what happens to the shoulder, and when it does, it’s not only painful; it can also stop you in your tracks, limiting your ability to do even simple things you’re used to doing.

The truth is that if you’ve never felt any kind of shoulder pain whatsoever, the chances are good that as you grow older, you will. Our bodies tend to lose muscle and bone mass as we age, and we become more susceptible to the aches and pains that may result.

But neither the weakness nor the pain is inevitable. The shoulder can be fixed, and the pain can go away. First, there’s a fix that cures the weakness and ends the pain. But there are also things you can do to prevent injury or strain in the first place, so that you never have to lose the strength, stability, and range of motion of the shoulder at all. Fix My Shoulder explores the anatomy and function of the shoulder, methods of preventing pain and injury, and treatments for healing that anyone can implement for better shoulder health and function.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 184 • Trim: 5 x 8¼

978-1-4422-7585-0 • Paperback • November 2016 • $34.00 • (£25.00)

978-1-4422-3338-6 • eBook • October 2014 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Subjects: Health & Fitness / Healing, Health & Fitness / Pain Management, Medical / Orthopedics, Medical / Sports Medicine

Author

George Demirakos is a licensed physical therapist and certified athletic therapist who has worked with the Montreal Canadiens professional hockey team, the Canadian Tennis Championships, and with athletes in the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games. He is currently the clinic director, senior physiotherapist, and leader of the sports medicine team of the Club Sportif MAA in downtown Montreal, and has served on the Advisory Boards of the McGill Faculty of Physiotherapy, and Sports Physiotherapy Canada - the nation’s professional association for sports physiotherapists. George worked as a physiotherapist on the set of Mummy 3 as well as X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Table of Contents

Very Important Message
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1: The Nuts and Bolts of the Shoulder
2: Of Rotator Cuffs, Injuries, and Words Ending in ‘-Itis’
3: The Pain
4: The Fix
5: Fix Your Posture Too
6: For Workout Warriors, Moves to Avoid
7: Your Super Shoulder
Bibliography

Reviews

Sometimes I think I just get paid to fall down. Hard. The acting is free. After a long day battling mummies in Montreal, I stumbled into the M.A.A. physio clinic and George 'He's the Man' Demirakos, ever deft of mind and touch, had me on his physio table for a session. Anything on me that went 'creak' was quickly silenced—until the next time I got clobbered. I'm glad he's around for all the real athletes out there—and for anyone who needs a healing hand. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Brendan Fraser, actor

Fix My Shoulder helps readers learn more about shoulder injuries and how to make them better. I've worked with George, and he was very knowledgeable and helped me get better in a hurry. I would recommend this book to anyone, athlete or not. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Maxime Talbot, professional hockey player, Colorado Avalanche

Praise for George Demirakos, author of Fix My Shoulder. I had injured my back about a week before having to travel to Montreal to work on the syfy show Being Human. There were going to be some crazy stunts during the shoot, and I foresaw the disaster of crippling injury looming in my future. Then I went to George. I don't remember now who recommended him to me, I only remember limping into his office with a back brace on, and walking out without one. Thank you George. Without you I wouldn't have been able to do it. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Mark Pellegrino, actor

Fix My Shoulder

A Guide to Preventing and Healing from Injury and Strain

George Demirakos

Fix My Shoulder

A Guide to Preventing and Healing from Injury and Strain

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