by Casee Yarborough, LAT, ATC

Did you realize that “Elbows In, Thumbs Up” is actually aimed to protect the shoulder? The different joints of our upper body work so closely together that the positioning of the hand, wrist, and elbow can actually affect stress and strain on the shoulder. How you use your elbows and hands can make your shoulder’s job easier or it can make it harder.

Shouldering The Burden

It’s important to protect the shoulder because, as we’ve said previously, a shoulder injury is one of the most expensive types of injuries to repair (along with the back and knee). Costs for shoulder surgeries could be anywhere from $6,000 to $56,000. And don’t forget about the number of days you’ll have to take away from work and the amount of time you’ll have to put into physical therapy and recovery.

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint. Think of it like a golf ball (the head of the humerus bone) sitting on top of a tee (the shoulder joint). This structure makes the shoulder highly mobile, but relies on the muscles to provide stability. With this, a commonly injured structure in the shoulder is the rotator cuff, which we will discuss in more detail next week. But, here’s a little teaser: the rotator cuff includes a group of 4 different muscles that connect to your shoulder blade (scapula) and your upper arm bone (humerus). The “Elbows In, Thumbs Up” position protects these 4 small muscles by placing them in an optimal position and reducing the stress, so that your bigger and stronger arm muscles can do the heavy work.

The best way to know if you’re working in a good position is by looking at your thumbs! If you are giving yourself a thumbs up 👍, your shoulders are in neutral and the muscles can work more optimally. If you’re giving yourself a thumbs down 👎, your shoulders are internally rotated, which puts your muscles in a more compromised position, reducing blood flow, thus fatiguing more rapidly.

Elbows In

Think about last month’s topic: Remain in the Green Zone. Keeping an object closer to you, makes the lifting easier. Not only is this true with lifting for your lower body, but it’s also true with your upper body. Keeping your elbows in towards your sides, keeps the object closer to you and improves your leverage so the object is easier on your shoulders to lift.

The further the elbows are brought away from the body, the less room there is for the shoulder tendons, leading to joint impingement. Keeping elbows down to your sides, avoids the compromising position and has lower risk of injury.

Test It Out

Try these four different exercises. Which ones are easier?

When you have your elbow straight or far from your body, the exercises are usually tougher and you have to use less weight than if you have your elbows bent and closer to your body. Whether at work or at home, play to your strengths and keep your elbows in and close to your body so that your job is a little easier. Not only does it save you some energy, but it also protects your shoulders.

Casee Yarborough, LAT, ATC || Casee is a Certified Athletic Trainer with a degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University. A native Floridian, she worked as an athletic trainer at a high school for two years before switching to the industrial setting. Outside of work she enjoys fitness, sports, and traveling.

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Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right NW!