Appreciate that he had been resting the shoulder for months and having physio BEFORE this MRI was taken. Even with this, there was still a great deal of damage that was yet to repair.
It was a situation that could have been completely avoided. So how do injuries like this develop?
Many injuries of the shoulder arise from repetitive strain. Movements were performed again and again. However, there will often be other factors involved that increase injury risk. These can include:
- Poor endurance of stabilising muscles. With repetition of movement, these muscles become tired. As they do, faulty joint motion occurs that may stress and damage nearby tissues.
- Poor technique in the movement being performed, which detrimentally stresses the shoulder.
- Poor upper body posture, including of the spine and/or shoulder. This again leads to faulty movement and abnormal stresses to it.
A well trained and knowledgeable teacher will know this. They will also know that if this has been considered and pain arises, they and the student need to step back. Reflect on what is going on, make changes, and/or seek outside help.
Urdhva Dhanurasana is a challenging pose. It requires hip, spine and shoulder mobility as well as strength. As the shoulder is so mobile it can be easily overloaded and injured, as it compensates for a stiff spine or hips. This is what I would speculate occurred with this student.
