Wall angels
There are a few key exercises that you should add to your daily exercise routine. The main one is called angel wings. Both my own physio and Dr Casparelli highly recommend it, it’s both a strenghtening exercise and a postural realignment exercise. Like a lot of the exercises you will find here, it’s much harder to do than it looks, depending on the state of your arms.
- Your feet should be a little bit apart and a few inches away from the wall
- Your shoulders should keep in contact with the wall
- Do three sets of 10 or a straight run of 30 if you can manage it
- Do a few times a day if you can. They’re easy to do in a bathroom cubicle
- I’m usually groaning with pain by 30 but see if more or less is more suitable to you
- It’s important to keep your shoulders horizontal, a mirror helps, or you can use the straight line from tiles on a wall.
- And no laughing at my video! (even if it does have a creepy anonymous mask.)
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.beatingrsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/angelwings.swf" height="303" width="450" /]
(Video should have stop and play buttons, not showing up – I’m working on it)
Tags: daily routine, exercise, Repetitive strain injury, rsi excercises, sore arms
April 30th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Hey! I like what you are doing here. You are giving great advice and keeping on top of your own body maintenance at the same time!
I like Pascarelli’s book too. Have you picked up the book by Sharon Butler “Conquering Carpal Tunnel & other RSI’s”? It’s really great for exercises by profession AND it talks about the importance of identifying the stretch-point. If someone that is super flared up (like me with my RSIs) tried to do Angel Wings just like your video, I would be set back at least one week in acute pain. I believe that once you can identify how far you can stretch yourself w/o discomfort is step one in beating RSI.
Keep up the good work!!
April 30th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Hi Arms. Thanks for the feedback. No haven’t got that book yet. Ironically enough “It’s not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” was next on my list but I’ll check it out. Yes you’re absolutely right – its only at times where I really push myself with excercise without overdoing it that I come out on top.
I plan to do a proper exercise page with links to all the separate exercise posts (it’s a little bit chicken and egg.)
Sounds terrible that you’re flared up so badly, kind of gives me reason not to feel so miserable when I think I’ve got it bad. There’s always someone worse. Best of luck with your recovery – and your employment related battles too!
May 5th, 2008 at 11:40 am
[...] If I only get to do two exercises on a day, I do arm lifts and angel wings. [...]
December 5th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Does your shoulder joints make some noise when the arms are going through their motion? Mine make a bit so just wondering if it’s a good or bad sign!
December 10th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Hi Fiachra
Doesn’t sound like a good thing. Though my wife gets that too. I’d recommend a trip to a physio, even with one visit, they should be able to go through some exercises and check out your clicking.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
[...] an exercise routine using key exercise like wall angels and arm [...]