Poles for Shoulder Health and Rehab

Some of you know I’ve recently been dealing with a shoulder injury (NOT caused by Nordic walking!) and trying to recover from adhesive capsulitis – otherwise known as “frozen shoulder.” Apparently this is a condition that’s fairly common among middle aged women, in which the shoulder becomes very restricted in its motion, making everyday activities painful and difficult. Left untreated the shoulder typically returns to normal after about 2 years, but that time can be reduced with therapy.

As I’ve been doing physical therapy to restore my range of motion and strength, I’ve discovered a new use for my Nordic walking poles as rehab tools. My therapist had given me exercises to do using a golf club, but of course my poles were the natural choice! Some of the exercises are ones I teach and recommend as Nordic walking warm ups, but now I value them even more for helping the shoulder achieve or maintain its function.

If you find yourself with less arm and shoulder motion, whether from injury or years of slumping over a computer, you might experiment with using your poles regularly to gently stretch and build strength. Here are a few of the exercises I’ve been doing.

Shoulders relaxed, thumb up, use pole to stretch arm up in front

Shoulders relaxed, thumb up, use pole to stretch arm out to side

With pole behind, push hands together and squeeze shoulder blades

Hook thumb in harness, pull arm up from behind

The good news is you can do these any time, like on a break at work, or while watching TV. You don’t even have to be outdoors to benefit from using your poles!

“Barefoot” Nordic Walking

If you’ve been out walking lately, you know that the ground is stirring with new life – tender grasses and other plants, beetles, and an astounding number of anthills. These last especially often affect my experience Nordic walking, as I feel guilty disturbing all of the ants’ painstaking work.

This morning I took a walk on the Sucker Lake trail in Shoreview – a beautiful wooded trail whose red pines reminded me of Itasca State Park. As I savored all the manifestations of nature, I also tried to take care to avoid the anthills – not an easy or entirely achievable task.

Classic Nordic walking technique emphasizes a firm and forceful pole plant, but this morning I started thinking about how differently we walk when we are barefoot – more carefully and gently, more aware and respectful of the earth underneath us. We may step on things, but we are less likely to kill them. I started walking with this barefoot sensibility, and tried applying that to the way I used my poles as well. I found that planting precisely and deliberately, and keeping gentle, sustained contact with the ground all the way through my backswing did a number of things. My shoulders relaxed even more. I felt an even greater sense of centeredness and strength, radiating from the lower abdomen. My feet were lighter on the ground. I felt more peaceful.

Studies of barefoot running suggest that actual running without shoes leads the body to compensate by landing more softly, thus putting less shock and strain on joints. This also suggests to me that the muscles are doing more work, in a more finely tuned way.

So now I am thinking more than ever, that wearing softer soled shoes, planting your pole with care, and being more sensitive to the earth underfoot can be a way to bring both greater strength AND peacefulness to our minds, our bodies and our relationship to the world around us..  including the ants.